Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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538. To ask the Minister for Health if the Minister for State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy has met with the Tallaght drug and alcohol task force since the publication of its recent report. [62554/21]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I have noted the findings of the report on 'The Landscape of Substance Misuse and its impact on the communities of Tallaght's Drugs and Alcohol Task Force'.

In Budget 2022, I secured an additional €6m for new measures to support the implementation of the national drugs strategy and to strengthen the health-led approach to drug and alcohol use, as set out in the Programme for Government.

This includes €0.5m to address high risk drug use, such as crack cocaine and other drugs, to expand harm reduction responses both in local communities and as a response to the use of stimulant drugs in the night-time economy. A further €0.5m is being provided for measures to improve access to community-based services for women and minority groups.

The Department of Health has published a factsheet on new funding provided for in Budget 2022 which can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/001fc-budget-2022-factsheet/ .

Details of the additional funding will shortly be communicated to drug and alcohol task forces, including the Tallaght task force.

I hope to visit drug and alcohol services in south west Dublin in the new year. This will provide an opportunity to meet with the chairperson of the Tallaght task force and to hear first hand the drug and alcohol issues facing local communities.