David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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766. To ask the Minister for Health the cost of returning funding to drug and alcohol taskforces to 2010 levels. [35161/23]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 766 together.

Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in assessing the extent and nature of the drug problem in their areas and in coordinating action at local level, so that there is a targeted response to the problem of substance misuse in local communities.

Every effort has been made to protect the budgets of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces in recent years. In excess of €27.88m has been allocated to Task Forces by the HSE and the Department of Health for community-based drugs initiatives this year.

In 2008 the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs had responsibility for the funding of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. The Department of Health does not have detailed records of payments to Task Forces in 2008. The 2022 table of funding allocations for taskforces is attached.

In 2023, €3.5m in recurring funding was provided to support existing community and voluntary providers of drugs and inclusion health services (see attached factsheet). Details and guidance on the administration of the €3.5 million are being finalised and I expect to make an announcement shortly.

This funding will be in addition to the inflation funding of €3.9m for drug and inclusion health projects recently announced. This once-off payment recognises the impact of inflation on the cost of delivering services for community and voluntary groups. Further information can be found at gov.ie - Health Ministers announce €81 million in once-off funding for voluntary and community providers (www.gov.ie)

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 664 together.

Enhancing access to, and the delivery of, drug and alcohol services in the community is a strategic priority under the national drugs strategy for the period 2021-2025. The strategic action plan 2023-2024 sets out several actions in relation to this priority.

I am very aware of the of the key role played by Drug and Alcohol Task Forces and community-based drug services in implementing these actions at the local level.

As Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy I have regular engagement with drug and alcohol taskforces. I recently addressed a conference on the role of local task forces in responding to the needs of disadvantage communities in the context of current policy developments under Slaintecare. The conference was organised by the chairpersons’ network and hosted by the Department of Health.

The Community Services Enhancement Fund (CSEF) was introduced in 2022, with a budget of €2 million, to enhance community-based drug and alcohol services under the National Drugs Strategy. Funding is aligned with the emphasis on enhanced community care in the Sláintecare reform programme, that shifts care into the community and closer to people’s homes.

Over 50 community-based drug projects were funded under the CSEF across all Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs).

In 2022, €850,000 in additional funding was provided for a HSE-led initiative to reduce the health-related harms from cocaine and ‘crack’ cocaine. The funding supports models of best practice in cocaine treatment, including the development of training programmes for addiction service staff nationally. It also provided for the establishment of targeted interventions in disadvantaged communities worst affected by cocaine and ‘crack’ cocaine.

gov.ie - Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy announces €850,000 for HSE-led initiative to reduce the health-related harms from cocaine and ‘crack’ cocaine (www.gov.ie)

The Health Research Board’s report on the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) for 2022, found that cocaine was the most common problem drug reported in 2022.

In recognition of this I recently announced additional funding of €500,000 to expand the provision of community-based services for cocaine and crack cocaine. This new funding will build on last years HSE led €850,00 cocaine initiative. I would encourage taskforces to engage with their local CHO on this initiative.

gov.ie - Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy announces increased funding of €500,000 for cocaine services (www.gov.ie)