Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has considered the establishment of a national addiction centre which would offer technical support to the various community organisations working in this field and develop policy and good practice which would improve the impact of local effort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30824/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I have responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the national drugs strategy, which is implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. My area of responsibility also covers the national drugs strategy team, NDST, which oversees the work of the local and regional drugs task forces and the national advisory committee on drugs, NACD. The 14 local drugs task forces, LDTFs, oversee a range of community and voluntary sector projects in their areas of operation, including the provision of support and guidance to these projects in the delivery of their services. Upon implementation of their action plans, the regional drugs task forces, RDTFs, which cover all parts of the country not serviced by a LDTF, will perform a similar task. The task forces are in turn supported and guided by the NDST which identifies and considers policy issues arising out of the work of the LDTFs and RDTFs.

In addition, the NACD advises the Government in relation to the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of problem drug use in Ireland. Its membership reflects statutory, community, voluntary, academic and research interests as well as representation from the relevant Departments. In this context, the NACD has produced research on issues of relevance to service providers, including community and voluntary organisations. This research covered such areas as homelessness and drugs use, harm reduction approaches, dual diagnosis as well as an ongoing longitudinal study which is seeking to assess the outcomes from a range of treatments for heroin misusers. Arising from these reports, which are widely disseminated, they make recommendations on various issues, including best practice in the relevant area.

The NACD has also run a community grants research scheme to develop research capacity among community groups as well as to increase the knowledge base at a local level. It has also held a seminar for community groups on guidelines for conducting local research into drug prevalence. I am satisfied the existing structures adequately address the issues of community support and policy formulation in regard to the misuse of drugs.