Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on the Vienna declaration on drug policy, the official declaration of the XVIII International AIDS Conference - Aids 2010 - which was held in Vienna, Austria, from 18 to 23 July 2010. [3468/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am aware that in 2010 the International AIDS Society convened the XVIII International Aids Conference in Vienna. As stated in the official declaration of the Conference (also known as the 'Vienna Declaration') the aim of the declaration is to seek to improve community health and safety by calling for the incorporation of scientific evidence into illicit drug policies. The declaration calls on governments and international organisations to undertake a number of measures including a transparent review of the effectiveness of current drug policies, the implementation of a science-based public health approach to address individual and community harms stemming from illicit drug use, decriminalisation of drug users and the meaningful involvement of members of affected communities in developing services and policies etc.

The Government's approach to tackling the problem of drug misuse is through a co-ordinated and integrated approach under the National Drugs Strategy 2009 to 2016. The policy approach outlined in the Strategy was developed over an 18 month period and involved wide public consultation under the oversight of the Steering Group established for this purpose. This extensive consultation process was undertaken so as to afford individuals and groups an opportunity to outline their views on the effectiveness of the policies and priorities to be outlined in the Strategy.

The Strategy tackles the issue of drug misuse under the pillar headings of drugs supply reduction, education and prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. The Strategy is being delivered, under the stewardship of my colleague and Minister of State at the Department of Health Roísin Shortall TD, by a number of Government Departments and agencies in partnership with the community and voluntary treatment sectors. The Programme for Government affirms the Government commitment to tackling the problem of drug misuse through the pillar based approach outlined in the Strategy and in partnership with relevant stakeholders.