Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. It is regrettable that he started off by calling out that I was being negative. I acknowledged that the services are being funded, but the Minister of State did not address the operational funding for the drugs and alcohol task force in the north inner city. I do not know where the Minister of State is getting his information from, but he is simply not being brought up to date. He said that the north inner city task force has sent out an email saying that it is no longer in a position to function. I understand an email was sent to the members of the task force saying that there are now two directors there and that they are well capable of functioning and want to get on with their job. I am not sure what kind of information the Minister of State is being given. That alarms me all the more in terms of what he is saying here with regards to his commitment to the task forces in the inner city or, indeed, elsewhere. I also did not hear if that conversation is taking place with other task forces across the country, because that is a real concern now. Is the north inner city being singled out or is there an attempt to dismantle other task forces as well? With regards the operational funding, either the Minister of State is intending to fund it this year or he is not.