Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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246. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for cuts to the mid-west task force of 51.8% since 2009; if he will establish a drugs task force for the metropolitan area of Limerick city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14099/16]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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In line with the National Drugs Strategy, the Government is committed to continuing support for initiatives to tackle the drug problem. Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in their areas and coordinating action at local level, so that there is a targeted response to the problem of substance misuse in local communities.

Every effort has been made to protect the budgets of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in recent years. The overall allocation to the Mid-West Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force for community-based drugs initiatives from the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive in 2016 is €1,407,989. This is the same overall level of funding allocated in 2014 and 2015, and a reduction of 9% on the 2009 allocation.

The Department of Health has commissioned external consultants to develop a performance measurement framework to assist in measuring the effectiveness of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. The framework will provide a mechanism to target funding allocations on the basis of objective criteria, having regard to the drugs situation in the Task Force catchment areas and other demographic factors. The Study will also inform the question of how best to align Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in order to address locally identified needs. This issue is also under consideration in the context of the development of the new National Drugs Strategy.