Written answers

Wednesday, 13 December 2006

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

National Drugs Strategy

10:00 pm

Photo of Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has examined the findings and recommendations of the report on social care and drug users here, recently published by the Drug Policy Action Group. [42918/06]

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the recommendations of the report of the Drug Policy Action Group on "Social care and drug users in Ireland". The recommendations therein are broadly in line with Actions of the National Drugs Strategy, focusing primarily on providing a continuum of care for clients and ensuring that quality standards are achieved in the services provided.

As the Deputy will be aware, a Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation was established, arising from the Mid-Term Review of the National Drugs Strategy, to examine the existing provision of rehabilitation services in Ireland, identify best practice, identify gaps and recommend actions to develop an integrated rehabilitation service. The Group has taken a holistic view of rehabilitation and, while recognising the importance of clients being activated and prepared to fulfil their role in the effort towards rehabilitation, sees the empowering of recovering drug users, so that they can re-engage with society in a manner consistent with their needs and expectations, as a key aim of the process.

It is likely that the report of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation, which will be completed shortly with a view to initiating the implementation of its recommendations in 2007, will address the broad issues raised in the Drug Policy Action Group report.

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