Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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126. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38147/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use, and it runs from 2017 to 2025.

The Strategic action plan for 2023-2024, contains 34 actions across six strategic priorities.

The Department intends to commission an independent evaluation of the strategy in Q4 2024. It is expected that the evaluation will be completed in early 2025.

The recommendations of the Citizens Assembly will be critical in shaping the future development of drugs policy. Policy will also be guided by a) the views of people with lived and living experience of drug use and b) international collaboration on evidence-based policies and practices on drugs

Taking into account the above factors (current action plan, commissioning of evaluation) and consideration of the deliberations of the Oireachtas Committee established to consider the recommendations of the citizens assembly, the proposed timeframe for the finalisation of the new national drugs strategy is the first half of 2025.

The new strategy will include an annual action plan beginning in 2025.

Alcohol use will be considered in the development of this new strategy.

Information on the Department's alcohol policy is set out here.

It is my ambition that the next national drugs strategy will aim to create a society where the reasons why people use drugs are addressed, the harms associated with drugs are reduced and recovery from drug addiction is supported.