Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Both Deputy McDonald and I have raised the north inner-city drug and alcohol task force on multiple occasions with the Taoiseach over the past year and a half. Progress has been glacial, even by the Department of Health's standards. As a result, the task force in effect remains shut down. This represents a wider shift away from evidence-based community addiction responses. Fine Gael decimated task forces in the austerity years and they have never seen their funding returned. Inadequate co-funding has removed autonomy from task forces.

The Taoiseach knows addiction is complicated, trends move quickly and local responses are needed. Will the Taoiseach meet with the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, to discuss how to support task forces, in particular the north inner-city drug and alcohol task force, and bring back their autonomy?

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