Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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162. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress on issues raised with him when he met with the Tallaght drugs task force on 26 February 2013; if he will confirm plans to include alcohol in the remit of task forces including Tallaght [43793/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that I announced details of a series of measures arising from a review of Drugs Task Forces last December. These measures provide for the extension of the remit of the Task Forces to include alcohol addiction. Against this background, on the 26th February, on receipt of an invitation from the Board of the Tallaght Local Drugs Force, I met with members of the Board at Kiltalown House (Tallaght Rehabilitation Project), who provided a very comprehensive briefing on the day to day challenges the Board face in tackling the on-going destructive consequences of drugs in their communities. The Board expressed their support for the forthcoming proposals on Alcohol policy, and the role Local Task Forces may play in combating the excessive levels of alcohol in society.

As measures to address the abuse of alcohol remain under consideration by Government, I am not yet in a position to provide clear timescales for the implementation of the reforms arising from the review. As previously outlined to the House, I am currently engaging in bilateral discussions with Government Departments and agencies, the community and voluntary sector and the drugs task forces in order to assess how the inter-agency approach to the National Drugs Strategy can be maintained and strengthened. Reinvigorating the multi-sectoral approach to the National Drugs Strategy is key to the successful implementation of the Drug Task Force reforms in my view.