Ms Siobhán McArdle:

I will take that question. I agree with the Senator and think that compassion is at the heart of our national drugs strategy. It is about compassion and not punishment. The intention is to reduce the stigma and to ensure that people live the fulfilled lives they deserve and to which they are entitled.

One of the big strategic priorities in the national drugs strategy and in our strategic action plan is to address the social determinants of health and those communities that are experiencing the consequences of drug use. That is about supporting the drugs and alcohol task forces and community-based services. As I said in my opening statement, one third of the funding that goes to our drugs services nationally is directed towards our community services. Many of those funds go through the 24 drugs and alcohol task forces and they support approximately 280 separate initiatives. In addition, those organisations are also in receipt of funding from the HSE. The Senator pointed to something that has changed in recent years, which has been the move towards the provision of recurring funding. We have heard the issues in respect of once-off funding or pilot projects that can leave people with a lack of certainty. It is hard to recruit people to continue to work in those sorts of services. There has been an increase in recurring funding or in the proportion of funding that is now given on a recurring basis. That gives greater certainty to the communities and to the people who work in those services. It creates a better connection between those who work in the services and those who receive those services so they build trust in each other.

The Senator asked about a cross-governmental approach and what we are doing in that regard. The national oversight committee for the national drugs strategy has a cross-governmental lens. Our colleagues from the Departments of Education and Justice and other Government Departments are involved. They are specifically involved in actions relating to the management of drugs services and looking at prevention. The Department of Education is working with our colleagues in the Department of Justice on harm reduction measures and addressing those coercive pieces. As my colleague, Mr. Ryan, said, there is a requirement and recognition that communities themselves, independent of the drugs element, need to be supported. We have local area boards, which are cross-governmental boards under the governance of the Department of the Taoiseach and the Cabinet committee on social affairs and public services, to hold that lens. They work on the community safety partnerships. They are forming part of the learning about how government at local level and organisations such as sports partnerships, health services or the Garda, which are funded and provide support, can work with local communities to address these kinds of issues and make communities strong and vibrant, and places in which people are proud to live. We also want them to be able to address any of the issues that arise and make these areas more disadvantaged.