Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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778. To ask the Minister for Health if he will restore the €2.5 million in funding to addiction services, in view of the fact the cuts in funding are having a negative effect on recovery programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21917/15]

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)
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As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days she should contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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779. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide Health Service Executive funding in respect of an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 9, in view of the fact it is providing a vital service to persons suffering with addiction, and is operating on a very limited budget; his views that services such as this are not only of huge help and comfort to persons suffering with addiction, but are also a worthwhile investment in keeping persons free from addiction and the knock-on effects [21918/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The provision of services to prevent and treat addiction to alcohol is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive and as such, I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.

As the Deputy may recall, on 3 February 2015, the Government approved the General Scheme of a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The aim is to reduce alcohol consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The other measures (eg for the HSE, professional bodies etc) set out in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, were endorsed by Government and are to be progressed by the relevant departments and organisations. The HSE has responsibility for implementing a number of recommendations and some of these measures are reflected in the HSE Service Plan for 2015. The remit of the Drugs Task Forces was extended to include the problem of alcohol misuse last year, in view of the key they play in co-ordinating the response to substance misuse at local level.