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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 1996

Vol. 462 No. 2

Written Answers. - Drug Prevention Initiatives.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Question:

104 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the way in which he propose to get health service personnel to adopt a more pro-active role in conjuction with education personnel, the Garda and other agencies through locally based initiatives on education and drug prevention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4500/96]

Limerick East): In the Government decision of 20 February one of a number of measures approved by Government was that there would be greater co-ordination of services among statutory, voluntary and community agencies at local level. In order to accomplish this I have requested that each health board establish a regional co-ordinating committee which would be comprised of representatives from the health and education sectors, the Garda, voluntary agencies and community groups. The committees will act as a forum for co-operation between the various agencies involved in demand reduction for drugs. Representatives from each of the regional committees will sit on the national demand reduction subcommittee of the National Co-ordinating Committee on Drug Misuse ensuring that there is a flow of information from national level to regional and local levels and vice versa.

In addition, health boards will be requested to undertake research into the extent of drug misuse in each respective board, so that they can co-ordinate and plan prevention and treatment services more effectively.

The health promotion unit of my Department already co-operates with the Department of Education, the health boards and voluntary agencies in the development and dissemination of a wide range of substance misuse prevention programmes targeted at selected groups. These programmes not only highlight the dangers of drug misuse but also give people the opportunity to develop and practise the skills necessary to resist pressures to use various substances of abuse.
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