Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Goal No. 4 of the national drugs strategy recognises the key role families play in contributing to the planning, design and delivery of effective addiction services. Families have unique insights that are a valuable resource to those involved in developing addiction services and interventions. Facilitating their involvement in the development and design of services is a core objective of our drugs policy.

In 2022, the Department of Health allocated €280,000 in additional recurring funding to the HSE to support family services. This funding was to develop and broaden the range of peer-led, mutual aid and family support programmes, in accordance with best practice. It included an allocation of €70,000 in recurring funding to Louth and Meath, as part of community healthcare organisation, CHO, 8. In the same year, the Department established the community services enhancement fund, with annual funding of €2 million on a recurring basis for community-based drug services. Of this allocation, a further €80,000 in recurring funding was prioritised for Louth and Meath as part of our commitment to support the implementation of the recommendations on drugs services from the scoping report on community safety and well-being in Drogheda.

I understand an independent evaluation of community and voluntary drug services was commissioned by the north-eastern regional drugs and alcohol task force. The conclusions and recommendations arising from that report and the HSE review of addiction services in counties Louth and Meath will inform the development of a roadmap for drug services in the Louth-Meath area. I encourage relevant organisations, including the one referenced by the Deputy, to engage with the regional task force and the HSE on the options and opportunities for multi-annual core funding for the provision of family support and community-based drug services in the area.

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