Results 1,141-1,160 of 6,055 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I want to go back to the funding. I very much welcome the invitation. I will call out and we will sit down to try to address these issues. I will bring in Mr. Jim Walsh regarding funding, because he might be more aware of the funding streams.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I commend the Tallaght Drug and Alcohol Task Force on that report, because now we have a roadmap we can follow. That is a huge benefit to the Department, as it is across agencies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Chair has highlighted this issue on many occasions. The points he has articulated, along with Deputies Lahart and Brophy and many others, came out in the report. I am looking forward to calling out. I was hoping to call out before Christmas. Unfortunately, I got Covid and I was off for three weeks. As well as this, we had the lockdown. I want to go out as soon as I can and meet...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: The report, entitled The Landscape of Substance Misuse and its Impact on the Communities of Tallaght Drug and Alcohol Task Force, highlighted that issue. The Chairman spoke about emerging trends. We have, in one aspect, tried to deal with emerging trends through the funding of €850,000 over three years and the €240,000 going to the relevant community healthcare organisation,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I will bring in Mr. Walsh on Sláintecare because he has more knowledge of that finer detail.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: The national oversight committee will deal with that. Again, we need much more collaboration. A lot has been done in the last view years but in order to deal with these very difficult issues we need cross-government, cross-community collaboration at all times.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I do not have that detail but I will ask my officials to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I will come in. There are many things happening. The revision of the adult caution scheme has led to a significant reduction in the number of prosecutions for simple possession. In addition, we are, as a Government, committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms. We can see from the Commissioner that they want to dismantle the operations of criminal organisations. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: First of all, regarding the funding and Tallaght, as the Deputy has raised again, €240,000 that has been given to the community health organisation, CHO, in that area-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: There is €240,000 that has gone to that area, but also we have allocated €850,000 over three years. There would be perhaps four or five different groups, but that would tell me there will be more than €220,000 or €250,000 per year for three years. Our officials can sit down with the HSE as well and address the Tallaght issue. It is part of the report that it was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: The answer to that is we have come a long way towards €1 million.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: We have got €850,000 per year to do it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: As I said, we can go back and forth regarding funding and we will work with the Deputy regarding funding. Regarding Keltoi, we all know it provided a very valuable facility, but unfortunately it was used as an isolation facility for the marginalised and vulnerable during Covid-19. It seems to still be in significant demand for isolation and it will be maintained as a Covid isolation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: Perhaps Mr. Walsh could come in on the north inner city and the five outstanding issues that were mentioned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I will call down in the coming weeks, once this Covid wave has receded.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: That is a very pertinent point by Deputy Gould. I ask Dr. Keenan to address it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: Thank you, Chairman, for your invitation to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health to discuss the implementation of the national drugs strategy 2021-25. As you said, I am joined by two officials: the principal officer in the drugs policy and social inclusion unit of the Department of Health, Mr. Jim Walsh, and the HSE national clinical lead for addiction, Dr. Eamon Keenan. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: Through the NOC, we have created working groups to drive the implementation of priorities. Those groups will strengthen the inter-agency partnership. They are independent. We selected six independent chairs who are there to ensure accountability for all the stakeholders, including the Department. They will bring impartiality, insight and experience in addressing the challenges we all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Chairman has raised this previously, in fairness to him. If an agency or person is on a task force or is part of the national oversight committee, the least you would expect is that they would show up to hear the views of the communities and represent their various agencies or Departments. The Chairman is absolutely right about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Drugs Strategy: Minister of State at the Department of Health (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: The Deputy raised some interesting points. I am committed. We have already increased the budget in my previous two budget terms as Minister of State. The Department funds 280 community drug projects throughout the country. We have to tackle the social determinants of drug use. It is unfortunate and wrong that departmental officials do not attend various committees. Again, as I said to...