Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding available in 2012 for the various drug task forces; the criteria used in the allocation of these funds by individual task forces; if the task forces are regularly audited; if he is satisfied that the distribution of funding by the various task forces reflects the work and effort by the individual members of each task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52401/12]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Each Drugs Task Force has an annual funding allocation from my Department for community-based drugs initiatives. The 2012 Allocation in respect of each Task Force is detailed in the table below.

The Drugs Task Forces are expected to have regard to the following criteria in determining allocations to individual projects:-

a) Needs identified locally;

b)Outcome of evaluation process of individual projects;

c)Need to secure approval of Department for any material change to the purpose of a funded project;

d)The need to safeguard public funding;

e)The need to protect front line service provision in line with Government policy.

The funding of projects is channelled through Government Departments and State Agencies, including the HSE, the Department of Social Protection, the VECs and Local Authorities. Organisations responsible for the delivery of projects are required to maintain proper governance arrangements, to have systems and practices for the proper management and administration of finances and to comply with tax and accounting requirements. In addition, Drugs Task Forces are required to submit an annual report to my Department in relation to their activities and annual audited accounts in relation to public funds expended directly by them.