Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I will take the debate on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne.

Government policy on 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. The strategy commits to expanding the availability and geographical spread of relevant quality drug and alcohol services and to improving the range of services available.

Drug and alcohol task forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in local communities. They also ensure that a co-ordinated approach is taken across all sectors to address substance misuse based on the identified needs and priorities in their areas. The Department of Health provides in the region of €28 million per annum to supporting task forces through various channels of funding, including the HSE. In 2019, the Department, through the HSE, provided €927,813 to the North Eastern Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force. From this allocation, the task force provided €212,000 to CDA Trust. CDA Trust provides a range of valuable services to individual families and the wider community affected by drug and alcohol use and misuse in Cavan and Monaghan. CDA Trust also gets funding from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide a drug rehabilitation community employment scheme.

The Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, recently received correspondence from CDA Trust indicating its intention to wind down operations by the end of 2020. It identified two key issues: delays in the transfer of funding from the HSE and communication difficulties between the HSE and the North Eastern Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force. The Minister of State asked officials in the Department of Health to seek a report from the HSE and the task force on these issues.

In 2019, the Department secured additional funding of €1 million to implement key actions in the national drugs strategy. From this funding, the Department provided the task force with an additional €20,000 to support its work, 50% of which is recurring on annual basis.

This funding can be used to enhance services and meet operating costs. The Department of Health is also providing an additional €190,000 over a three-year period for the young people's substance use support services in Cavan and Monaghan. This strategic health initiative will improve access to health services for young people whose lives are affected by problematic alcohol and substance use in the two counties. The initiative will develop and strengthen collaborative working across the counties to support the delivery of integrated holistic services through a continuum of care model, that is, education and prevention, and treatment and rehabilitation. This initiative was developed by the task force and the HSE following consultation with local stakeholders. The Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, would encourage the CDA Trust to engage with the task force and the HSE to see how it can participate in the new young people's substance use support services.

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