Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Curran for raising this issue. I know he is very passionate about it, as am I. I will go through my speaking notes first and then I will address some of the issues raised by Deputy Curran in his contribution.

Government policy in relation to drug and alcohol addiction services is set out in the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery - a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025. Providing additional resources to enhance service provision is a key objective of the strategy. I welcome the additional funding provided for integrated treatment services for people in addiction and mental health issues in the HSE 2019 national service plan. The service plan also commits to improving healthcare services for people who are homeless. The service plan will also deliver more integrated and effective models of care for people with complex healthcare needs and who are experiencing severe health inequalities.

Drug and alcohol task forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of substance misuse in their areas, and in supporting community responses, as part of a co-ordinated approach involving all sectors at local and regional levels.

A total of €27.645 million was allocated to the drug task forces by the Department and the HSE in 2018. This level of funding has been maintained for the past number of years. A further €500,000 in once-off funding was provided to task forces in 2018. In addition, task forces were consulted by the HSE on the provision of €710,000 in once-off funding for priority projects and services in CHO areas in 2018. This funding is used to support community drug projects in order to deliver services which meet local priorities. I am very familiar with and greatly appreciate this valuable work in communities. Measuring the overall effectiveness of the response to the drug problem is an important objective of drug policy. Resources should be directed towards interventions and strategies which are most likely to lead to a reduction in problem substance use and an improvement in public health, safety and well-being.

The level of progress achieved in delivering on the national drugs strategy will be determined using performance indicators. To this end, the national drugs strategy commits to operationalising a performance measurement system by 2020. The system is primarily concerned with the overall effects of implementing the drugs strategy at a population level, including the effects on the health, well-being and quality of life of people living in areas served by the drug and alcohol task forces. Last year, I established a working group to revise and update the handbook for task forces. It is intended that the revised handbook will improve the overall governance and accountability of task forces. I hope to be able to provide that handbook in the next two or three weeks. The group is developing a governance code for task forces in line with best practice as set out by the Charities Regulator.

I appear to have mislaid a page of my statement. I cannot seem to find it. I will respond to some of the issues raised by Deputy Curran later.

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