Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason the regional drugs task forces have not reported to date on the drug problems in their areas; when they will be in a position to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16658/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to tell the Deputy that a sum of €5 million per annum is available to the regional drugs task forces to assist them in implementing their action plans.

To date, seven of the ten regional drugs task forces have submitted their plans to the National Drugs Strategy Team, NDST, for assessment and I understand that the remaining three are expected shortly. On receipt of these proposals, I will be making recommendations to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion for approval as early as possible.

I am anxious that a number of new programmes and initiatives will be put in place in the regions in the coming months.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the efforts he will make to co-ordinate the implementation of the national drugs strategy with the homeless strategy to combat drug use among the homeless population here; his views on whether there is a need to develop services for homeless persons who are also drug users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16679/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, as part of my brief, I have responsibility for the national drugs strategy in the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, D-CRGA, and for the homeless strategy in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, D-EHLG. In addition, the D-EHLG is represented on the National Drugs Strategy Team and the Inter-Departmental Group on Drugs, which I chair, and the D-CRGA is represented on the Cross-Departmental Team on Homelessness. In this respect, I am happy that there is ongoing co-ordination at both ministerial and official levels between the two areas.

In relation to services for homeless persons, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, NACD, recently published a report on drug use among the homeless population. Arising from the report, the NACD has made a number of recommendations to me in relation to responsibilities in both Departments, which I am currently examining. I will also be discussing these recommendations with the other relevant Ministers and their Departments.

The NACD report has also had an input in terms of the discussions on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy which will be published in early June and into the review of the homeless strategy which is currently ongoing.

The Deputy should note that a number of homeless services have already been developed and expanded to cater for the needs of people with drug or alcohol problems, including services provided by Merchant's Quay, Dublin Simon and the DePaul Trust. Among these services is a low threshold, harm reduction hostel in Dublin, Clancy Night Shelter, which caters for people with a history of drug use or who are currently involved in drug use. This is an important development as it was the first service in the country to actively cater for this group.