Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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212. To ask the Minister for Health the progress on establishing a national family support network. [49997/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Strategic action 17 of the National Drug Strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, commits to strengthening services to support families affected by substance misuse. The HSE funds a number of organisations that provide family support services at both local and regional levels.

The strategy also recognises the role that families can play in the planning, design and delivery of drug and alcohol services and polices .

The Department is aware of the closure of the National Family Support Network (NFSN). This was a voluntary organisation, made up of local and regional family support networks.

The Department has engaged with local and regional family support networks following the closure of the NFSN and is supportive of their efforts to work together. However, the Department of Health has no role in establishing a national family support network.

I am committed to working with family support networks to implement the national drugs strategy.