Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Health if a publication date for the 2019 end of year review of Supporting Recovery, Reducing Harm has been published [24222/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The national drug strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, sets out Government policy on drug and alcohol use until 2025.  The strategy aims to provide an integrated public health approach to drug and alcohol use, focused on reducing the harms for individuals, families and communities and promoting rehabilitation and recovery.

The strategy contains 50 actions for delivery between 2017 and 2020. The implementation of these actions is monitored though the national oversight structures, supported by the coordinated system of monitoring, research and evaluation set out in the strategy.

The annual progress report on the implementation of the actions for 2019 has been delayed by the impact of Covid-19. The report will be presented to the National Oversight Committee, which is meeting on 18th September. I intend to publish the report shortly thereafter.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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123. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the mid-term review of Supporting Recovery, Reducing Harm [24223/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The national drug strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, sets out Government policy on drug and alcohol use until 2025.  The strategy provides an integrated public health approach to drug and alcohol use, focused on reducing the harms for individuals, families and communities and promoting rehabilitation and recovery.

The strategy contains a 50 point Action Plan to be delivered between 2017 and 2020. Annual progress reports on implementing the actions are prepared.

The national drug strategy is a dynamic process, which is monitored through its national oversight structures. It has  the flexibility to introduce new measures after four years to address issues that emerge over that period.

The Department intends to carry out a mid-term review of the action plan at the end of 2020, in consultation with the national oversight structures.  This will provide an opportunity to reflect on progress in implementing the strategy from 2017 to 2020, and to consider the development of new actions to address emerging needs and challenges.

The review will allow policy to take account of the impact of Covid-19 on people who use drugs and on drugs and alcohol services and to plan accordingly for the remaining years of the strategy. It will also reflect the commitments in the Programme for Government as part of a health-led approach to drug use and misuse.