Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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654. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm progress on previously announced plans to include alcohol in the remit of Tallaght Drugs Task Force; if he will appreciate the need for additional resources to be made available to the task force in respect of the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16558/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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In light of the acceptance by Government of the recommendations in the Report of the Steering Group on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, the role of Task Forces in tackling the problem of alcohol misuse is currently being considered by the National Coordinating Committee for Drug and Alcohol Task Forces.

At the meeting of the Committee on 3rd April last, it was agreed that the titles of Task Forces should be changed to "Drug and Alcohol Task Forces". This is in line with the recommendations in the Report on the Review of Drugs Task Forces and the National Structures under which they operate. In order to minimise the costs associated with changing letterheads or websites, it was agreed that Task Forces may implement this change at a time of their choosing, for example, to coincide with a launch or a significant occasion.

Allocations to Task Forces for 2014 have already been agreed and there are no plans to revisit these.