Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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698. To ask the Minister for Health the allocation to the national drugs strategy in budget 2020; the actual spend on the national drugs strategy; and the full allocation to the strategy in budget 2021. [31493/20]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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751. To ask the Minister for Health the additional funding that has been provided to his Department’s drug and alcohol strategy Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery: A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025, since its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31650/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 698 and 751 together.

The national drug strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, is the Government roadmap for a health-led response to drug and alcohol use. The Programme for Government Our Shared Future, sets out the Government's priorities under the strategy.

Since the strategy was published in 2017, the funding provided by the Department of Health to implement the strategy increased from €122m in 2016 to €129m in 2019. A further €6m was provided for addiction and related services to meet the needs of people who are homeless in this period.

Expenditure on HSE addiction services increased from €94 million in 2016 to over €100 million in 2019. This funding is used by the HSE to deliver a wide range of national policy objectives as outlined in the National Drugs Strategy including a focus on early intervention; treatment; and rehabilitation. This in turn helps people with substance misuse issue to achieve better health outcomes.

The Department of Health increased funding to Drug and Alcohol Task Forces from €28 million in 2016 to €29 million in 2019. This funding supports over 280 community projects in local areas and communities throughout the country to support initiatives to tackle drug and alcohol use and misuse. The additional of €1 million funds 13 strategic health initiatives identified by Task Forces to respond to emerging trends in substance misuse and to improve access to services for people with complex needs.

Additional funding of €3 million was provided for the implementation of the strategy in 2020. This funding supports the implementation of the Health Diversion Programme, to expand addiction services for pregnant and post-natal women, and to develop a community alcohol service in Galway and a residential treatment service for women and children in the mid-west region.

I announced new funding of €4.1 million for the following new drug and alcohol services in Budget 2021:

- €1 million to develop targeted drug and alcohol initiatives through the network of drug and alcohol task forces, and to increase core funding for existing services

- €2 million to increase residential treatment services for people with severe drug and alcohol dependency across the country, including a step-up stabilisation facility in CHOs Cork/Kerry, Mid-West and South East and a low threshold programme in Dublin North East Inner City

- €700,000 to expand community and family support services, including initiatives in Donegal/Leitrim/Sligo, Louth/Meath, Cork/Kerry, and Dublin North Inner City

- €400,000 for harm reduction initiatives, including pilot drug monitoring at festivals and the night-time economy, expanded access to the drugs and alcohol helpline and increased provision of naloxone.

In addition, €11m will be provided in 2021 to meet the complex health needs of people who are homeless, including those in addiction, arising from Covid-19. A further €4.2 million will be provided in 2021 for the continued treatment of an additional 700 clients on opioid substitution treatment (OST), who were given access to OST in 2020 under the Covid-19 contingency plan for people who use drugs

I believe that Budget 2021 is a giant step in delivering on the commitments in the Programme for Government to increase funding for health and social interventions for people who use drugs, including those who are homeless.