Written answers

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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1365. To ask the Minister for Health the reason a group (details supplied) is not included as part of the membership in relation to the National Oversight Committee to drive the implementation of the national drugs strategy for 2021 to 2025 in which five medically trained personnel were invited to sit on the committee; the criteria he utilised to ascertain suitability for membership; the process that was used to select medical representatives; if the process was communicated to previous and or prospective members of the committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63032/21]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1381. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the nursing group were not invited given that five medically trained personnel were invited to sit on the National Oversight Committee when it had specifically requested to remain on the committee; the criteria that was utilised to ascertain suitability for membership; the way the transparency was applied; if members were informed of the criteria; and if clinical balance was taken into consideration. [63049/21]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1501. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the nursing group was not invited when it had specifically asked to remain on the national oversight committee on which five medically-trained personnel were invited to sit; the criteria he utilised to ascertain suitability for membership; if this process was transparent; if it was clearly explained to previous members; if clinical balance was taken into consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63410/21]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1874. To ask the Minister for Health the reason that addiction nurses were removed from the National Oversight Committee on the National Drugs Strategy. [2184/22]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1365, 1381, 1501 and 1874 together.

The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use for the period 2017-2025.  The strategy is dynamic with the flexibility to adapt to needs that may emerge over the lifetime of the strategy.  It is underpinned by a partnership approach between the statutory sector, community organisations, voluntary service providers, service users and Drug and Alcohol Task Forces.   Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery established a National Oversight Committee to give leadership and direction to support implementation of the strategy. The Committee consists of a cross-sector membership from the statutory, community and voluntary sector, as well as clinical and academic expertise.   The strategy outlines indicative membership and provides that the final membership is decided upon by the Minister with responsibility for the National Drugs strategy. 

The Department of Health completed a mid-term review of the actions in the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery and this report was published on 17 November, 2021.  Arising from the mid-term review, six strategic priorities for the national drugs strategy for 2021-2025 were identified. These priorities strengthen the health-led approach, reflect commitments in the Programme for Government and align with the EU drugs strategy and action plan 2021-2025. 

I have revised the oversight structures to drive the implementation of the strategic priorities for 2021-2025, following consultation with the national oversight committee in September 2021.   Strategic Implementation Groups (SIGs) will be established to support the implementation of the strategic priorities, under the auspices of the national oversight committee.  I have recently appointed independent chairs for these SIGs, based on their individual expertise in specific policy issues and their leadership skills. These individuals come from a diversity of backgrounds, including local development, health services, public administration, the legal system and academia.

The chairs of the SIGs are members of a streamlined National Oversight Committee, along with representatives of government departments, drug and alcohol task forces and community and voluntary organisations. I have appointed two Ministerial nominees, an academic expert and a clinical expert to the committee. These individuals were selected on the basis of their national and international expertise on drug policy. Neither was appointed in a representative capacity of any medical or other organisation. 

The inter-agency approach involving a partnership between statutory, community and voluntary bodies remains central to the strategy, as does strengthening the resilience of communities to respond to the drug problem. 

Partnership is central to the national drugs strategy and the new oversight structures are intended to strengthen the partnership approach and give a stronger voice to civil society in developing national policy.   The Department wants to broaden and deepen the involvement of community and voluntary groups in the implementation of the strategy.  The proposal for the establishment of a civil society group on drugs is one component of this, which is under discussion with the sector. 

I wish to acknowledge the ongoing contribution made by the organisation referred to by the Deputy to the national drugs strategy and I welcome their continuing involvement in the implementation of the strategy through the new strategic implementation groups, under the auspices of the national oversight committee. I have also invited the organisation to meet with me to discuss their concerns.

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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1366. To ask the Minister for Health when he will be announcing the date for the citizens' assembly on drugs which the Government has committed to holding in 2022. [63033/21]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Consideration is being given to the appropriate methodology for future citizens' assemblies, including one on drugs use. Decisions will be guided by the experience of the Gender Equality Assembly which completed earlier this year.  An independent researcher was appointed by the Assembly to monitor and record, amongst other things, the perceived deliberative quality of the Assembly.  This report, published in July 2021, will assist in decisions on future Assemblies use of virtual meetings.

By their very nature, citizens assemblies require large gatherings to be truly effective. Therefore, there has been an unavoidable delay in the establishment of the next citizens' assembly due to public health restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Department of Health continues to liaise with the Department of the Taoiseach on the timing and format of the proposed citizen assembly on drug use. It is envisaged that the remaining citizen assembly, including the citizen assembly on drug use, will be established after the Dublin mayor citizens' assembly has completed its work. The specific timing of each assembly has yet to be confirmed.

The Department of Health's approach to the citizen assembly on drugs use will be informed by the Government's health-led approach to people who use drugs, as outlined in the national drugs strategy. An important component of the health-led approach is the Health Diversion Programme. The Health Diversion Programme offers compassion, not punishment, to people who use drugs and connects them with health services and provides a pathway to recovery, thereby avoiding a criminal conviction. As outlined in the Programme for Government, the programme will be reviewed after the first full year of implementation to ensure that it is meeting all of it aims and to make any necessary changes. This review could usefully inform the deliberations of the citizen's assembly on drug use. 

A strategic priority for the implementation of the national drugs strategy for 2021-2025 is to promote alternatives to coercive sanctions for drug-related offences. This will include the exchange of best practice with EU member states, as part of theEU Drugs Strategy 2021 – 2025.

I believe that a citizen's assembly could usefully consider the learnings from the health diversion  programme and other similar alternatives to coercive sanctions. It could also inform the development of the next national drugs strategy, to replace the existing strategy in 2025. 

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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1367. To ask the Minister for Health the timetable for the delivery of a budgetary commitment to provide €0.5 million to address high-risk drug use such as crack cocaine and other drugs; and when the funding will be available to services on the ground and commit to full consultation with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63034/21]

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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1368. To ask the Minister for Health the timetable for the delivery of a commitment given in Budget 2022 to provide €1.7 million for measures to increase the availability of HSE drug and alcohol services on a nationwide basis; the funding to include services for persons with alcohol addiction, persons under 18 years of age, families affected by drugs in addition to rehabilitation and recovery programmes; and if he will fully consult with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63035/21]

Photo of Aodhán Ó RíordáinAodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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1369. To ask the Minister for Health the timetable for the delivery of a commitment given in Budget 2022 to provide €0.5 million to increase access to and provision of community-based drug and alcohol services for women, ethnic minorities and LGBTI+; and if he will fully consult with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63036/21]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1372. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for delivery of the €0.5 million committed to in Budget 2022 to address high-risk drug use; and if he will fully consult with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63039/21]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1373. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for delivery of the €1.7 million to increase the availability of HSE drug and alcohol services on a nationwide basis; and if he will fully consult with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63040/21]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1374. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for delivery of the €0.5 million to increase access to and provision of community-based drug and alcohol services for women, ethnic minorities and LGTBI+; and if he will fully consult with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63041/21]

Photo of Thomas GouldThomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1375. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for delivery of the €0.7 million to provide additional services for children and families who are impacted by parental drug and alcohol use; and if he will fully consult with the drug and alcohol task forces in rolling it out. [63042/21]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1491. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the additional €0.5 million to address high-risk drug use such as crack cocaine and other drugs as announced in Budget 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63400/21]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1492. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the €1.7 million for measures to increase the availability of HSE drug and alcohol services on a nationwide basis as announced in Budget 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63401/21]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1493. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the €0.5 million to increase access to and provision of community-based drug and alcohol services for women, ethnic minorities and LGBTI+, as announced in Budget 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63402/21]

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1494. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the €0.7 million to provide additional services for children and families who are impacted by parental drug and alcohol use as announced in Budget 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63403/21]

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1367 to 1369, inclusive,1372 to 1375, inclusive, and 1491 to 1494, inclusive, together.

In the Revised Estimates for Public Expenditure 2022, an additional €7m is provided for new measures to support the implementation of the national drugs strategy, 'Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery'. This funding will be used to strengthen the health-led approach to drug and alcohol use and to support the strategic priorities for 2021-2025 identified in the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy.

The Department of Health has published a fact sheet on new funding provided for in Budget 2022 which can be found at www.gov.ie/en/publication/001fc-budget-2022-factsheet/. This includes €1.7 million for measures to increase the availability of HSE drug and alcohol services on a nationwide basis. This will include services for people with alcohol addiction, people under 18 years, families affected by drugs, as well as rehabilitation and recovery programmes.

Further details on this funding will be set out in the HSE national service plan 2022. Drug and alcohol task forces should engage with their community healthcare organisation on plans for new HSE services.

I am committed to increasing access to and provision of drug and alcohol services in line with the strategic priorities for 2021-2025 under national drug strategy.

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