Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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476. To ask the Minister for Health to confirm that the new national drugs strategy which is currently under development will be one integrated national substance misuse strategy inclusive of all drugs including alcohol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19222/16]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Government policy on tackling the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. A Steering Committee, chaired by an independent chair and with representatives from the Statutory, Community and Voluntary Sectors, has been established to advise on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy, which will cover the period from 2017 onwards.

The terms of reference of the Steering Committee includes the development of an integrated public health approach to substance misuse, which is defined as the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs, incorporating the relevant recommendations of other related policies including the National Substance Misuse Strategy.

The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill remains a priority for this Government. The Government approved the publication of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and the introduction of the Bill in the Houses of the Oireachtas on the 8 December 2015. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Seanad on the 17 December 2015. The Department of Health is currently awaiting dates to progress the Bill in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The Bill is part of a suite of measures agreed on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. Work is continuing on the implementation of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. It is intended to publish the First Annual Report on the National Substance Misuse Strategy later this year.