Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There has been a deliberate attempt to erode community resilience across many Departments, and not only the Department of Health. Last week, it was about dismantling the local jobs clubs, and this week it relates to community involvement in the drugs strategy. There seems to be a direct threat from the Government to communities and their resilience. Any chance the Government has to erode such resilience is grabbed with both hands.

I am a former member of the Clondalkin drug and alcohol task force. I worked on front-line community drugs services for many years. The last one I worked on was in Deputy Ó Snodaigh’s area in Inchicore. I saw the value of the role the community played in our strategic plans and strategies and how it engaged and informed what was going on there. Who is better placed to do that outside our communities?

There has been a deliberate attempt to reduce the number of community groups on the national oversight committee from six to four. As part of this, a decision has been made to remove the likes of CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign, the National Family Support Network and Uisce, on behalf of the community sector and the voluntary drug treatment network, from the national oversight committee.

A cross-party group, including members of the Minister of State’s party, met with CityWide last week. The last question I asked CityWide was what engagement it had with the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, in this process. The meeting was a public one. It informed me that it had no engagement with the Minister of State. Despite making numerous attempts in that regard, a meeting did not happen. I have been made aware that the position has shifted since the meeting last week and that is to be welcomed. What will be the implication on funding for CityWide and other voluntary community addiction services? Will their funding stream be impeded by this decision?

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