Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government reads: "We support the expansion of Local Drug Taskforce projects". Funding was cut in the years up to 2014 and has remained at the same level since. As the Taoiseach knows, the task forces are funded by the Department of Health and the HSE, the budgets of which have increased significantly in that period. However, the same has not applied to the core funding of the drug task forces. The drug and alcohol task forces are well overdue an increase in core funding to support their existing programmes and projects, as well as emerging needs. Deputy Curran recently questioned the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. In her reply she stated: "Although we did not have a great deal of success in getting money via the budget, we have received more funding in the past couple of weeks. I intend to look into how to use that money in the next couple of weeks..." Deputy Curran who has responsibility for this area on our behalf and others in the field are anxious and clear that core funding must be increased. Therefore, the money mentioned should go towards meeting the core funding needs of the task forces involved.

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