Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his statement, which I will go through in my response. He refers to a multi-agency approach that crosses the Department of Justice, the Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council and the Department of Health. Will he tell me when representatives of those bodies were last in the same room to discuss this issue? If there is a multi-agency approach, when was the last time such a meeting took place and when is the next one scheduled to happen? I am fascinated to hear the answer.

I asked for the metrics in regard to reducing harm and supporting recovery.

I fully appreciate that I am asking a question of the Minister of State but what are the metrics contained in that strategy? How relevant is it today? Was it changed to address the needs, demand or the accelerated urgency post Covid, when a lot more people had become involved in complex drug-taking? A lot more people were forced onto the streets again to drink alcohol with harmful effects on them.

I wish to make a point on the moneys that are placed into the north inner city. It is the place I grew up in and I am very familiar with it. Ever since the four-tier social partnership was launched in around 1998, a significant amount of money has been placed into areas like the north inner city in combating addiction for different groups that have emerged. However, there is no real joined-up approach. Clearly, it has not been working. The Minister of State might be able to tell me what happens if, for example, a young man in the north inner city of 35 years of age has a cocaine addiction. Where would the Minister of State advise him to go to get support? People often come to me with such questions. The drugs task force is not in existence at the minute but probably has not been relevant for a very long time. Where should I tell that person to go?

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