Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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1434. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on the taskforce handbook review. [46807/24]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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Drug and Alcohol Task Forces play a key role in the implementation of the national drugs strategy. Task forces are required to have proper arrangements in place for the selection and renewal of the Chairperson, Members of Task Forces and for addressing conflicts of interest.

The governance and operation of the task forces is set out in a handbook published in 2011. It defines the role of the task forces within the national and local framework required to address the existing and emerging threats from problem drug use.

The Department has commissioned a consultant to develop a Governance and Performance Framework for Drug and Alcohol Taskforces and work on this action is ongoing. The framework will inform the revision of the handbook.

To inform the next national drugs strategy, the Department is holding a consultation event on the planning and deliver of drug services in the content of the new health regions. This will include consideration of governance and performance issues for task forces.