Results 141-160 of 501 for drugs speaker:Frank Feighan

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1376 and 1495 together. In 2019, funding of €180,000 over 36 months was awarded to the DRIVE (Drug-related Intimidation & Violence Engagement) initiative, which includes the cost of recruiting a national coordinator. The DRIVE Oversight committee leading the initiative comprises of relevant stakeholders from the Regional and Local Drug and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1377 and 1496 together. The national drugs strategy,Reducing Harm Supporting Recoveryis a health-led response to drug and alcohol use for the period 2017-2025. The strategy is dynamic with the flexibility to adapt to needs that may emerge over the lifetime of the strategy. It is underpinned by a partnership approach between the statutory sector, community...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1378 and 1497 together. The national drugs strategy,Reducing Harm Supporting Recoveryis a health-led response to drug and alcohol use for the period 2017-2025. The strategy is dynamic with the flexibility to adapt to needs that may emerge over the lifetime of the strategy. It is underpinned by a partnership approach between the statutory sector, community...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1379 and 1499 together. Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in the implementation of the national drugs strategy, ' Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery'. Action 50 of the strategy commits to ensuring that Task Forces have proper arrangements in place for the selection and renewal of the Chairperson, Members of Task Forces and for having proper...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1380, 1498 and 1500 together. The Department of Health completed and published the mid-term review of the actions in the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery on 17 November, 2021.  Based on the learning from the mid-term review, six strategic priorities for the national drugs strategy for 2021-2025 were identified. These...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Citizens' Assembly (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: Consideration is being given to the appropriate methodology for future citizens' assemblies, including one on drugs use. Decisions will be guided by the experience of the Gender Equality Assembly which completed earlier this year. An independent researcher was appointed by the Assembly to monitor and record, amongst other things, the perceived deliberative quality of the Assembly. This...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: Community drug projects in Tallaght – Jobstown Assisting Drug Dependency (Jadd) and Community Action Response Programme (Carp) – are continuing to provide services, including crack cocaine services. HSE addiction services fund both projects under section 39 service level agreements, with a total allocation for community drug projects in Tallaght of €2m per annum. Jadd...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: In Budget 2022, I secured an additional €6m for new measures to support the implementation of the national drugs strategy, 'Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery'. This funding will be used to strengthen the health-led approach to drug and alcohol use, as set out in the Programme for Government. It will also support the strategic priorities for 2021-2025 identified in the mid-term review...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1875 and 1923 together. The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use for the period 2017-2025.  The strategy is dynamic with the flexibility to adapt to needs that may emerge over the lifetime of the strategy.  It is underpinned by a partnership approach between...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1878, 1915 and 1916 together. Drug and Alcohol Task Force Coordinators are, in the main, employed by the HSE. The HSE allocates funding to the Regional and Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces for various support workers, such as posts of development worker and administrator. The Department of Health has no role in the recruitment of HSE employees.  Task...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Citizens' Assembly (19 Jan 2022)

Frank Feighan: Consideration is being given to the appropriate methodology for future citizens' assemblies, including one on drugs use. Decisions will be guided by the experience of the Gender Equality Assembly which completed earlier this year.  An independent researcher was appointed by the Assembly to monitor and record, amongst other things, the perceived deliberative quality of the Assembly....

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

Frank Feighan: ...2 million for enhancement services, €200,000 and €240,000 has gone to the nine community healthcare organisations, CHOs. I report that 25% of that funding is ring-fenced access for the provision of drug and alcohol services for women, ethnic minorities and the LGBTQI+ community who often face barriers in accessing drug and alcohol services.

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

Frank Feighan: ...are issues. There are issues concerning the Garda. I am fully supportive of the Government decision to establish this medically supervised injection facility. It is a key action in the national drugs strategy.

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

Frank Feighan: No. What I think is that we need to destigmatise issues around people who use drugs.

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

Frank Feighan: I am glad the Deputy has welcomed the €850,000 initiative. The Tallaght drug and alcohol task force put forward a very powerful argument for that funding. That task force highlighted the problem through its very informative report. Tallaght is an area that has intergenerational issues, with some families and children caught up in a cycle of drug use, addiction, trauma and harm. The...

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

Frank Feighan: I have championed it. Since my appointment to this role, I have secured extra funding for the national drugs portfolio. I believe Tallaght put a reasonable case with respect to the €850 million because it is in a difficult situation. I think it will be successful, but I cannot determine that until I see the report coming in.

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 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: 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: .... I am not as familiar with the details of that. I will also ask my colleague to address the deaths from 2017. The Chairman asked about the five outstanding issues in the 50 areas of the national drugs strategy. I will bring in my colleague to address that as well.