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

Front-line community drug services are having to turn people away due to the lack of funding. Those concerned have said services are now on life support. I was present for the pre-budget submission by the local drug and alcohol task forces yesterday. The name of the submission is "Services on a Shoestring", and that says it all. The services face a huge increase in demand. I have worked in front-line community addiction services and have been a director of the Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force, so I know at first hand how critical funding is.

I will be a little critical of the task forces. The demand of the Government was not ambitious enough. Sinn Féin, if in government, would commit an additional €7.2 million to the local drug and alcohol task forces as part of a €45 million package. Will the Government agree to the task forces' modest request of an additional €3 million in funding?

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