Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

321. To ask the Minister for Health if additional funding will be made available under the national drugs strategy to a group (details supplied) in order to allow its worker operate for four days per week rather than two days per week which is currently funded; his views on the particular challenges being faced by this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51524/17]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in their areas and in 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. In excess of €27.6m has been allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives this year. This level of funding is consistent with the amounts provided in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The Department of Health and the HSE will be issuing letters to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in the coming days to notify them of their 2018 funding allocations. There is an onus on Task Forces to ensure that their budgets are effectively deployed to address current priorities and locally identified needs. It is a matter for Tallaght Drug and Alcohol Task Force to consider the case made by Fettercairn Estate Management Committee in the context framing its 2018 priorities.