Vol. 529 No. 1
1087 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when the National Advisory Group on Drugs was appointed; the membership of the group; the current work programme; the number of times it has met to date; the budget allocated; and the number of staff and resources allocated. [1294/01]
The National Advisory Committee on Drugs was established in July 2000. The committee com prises experts from the statutory, community, voluntary, academic and research sectors as well as representation from the relevant Departments. A list of the membership is attached. The committee will oversee the delivery of a three year research programme, agreed by Government, aimed at addressing the priority information gaps and deficiencies in the area of drug misuse. The functions of the committee and its three year work programme are also attached. The committee held its first meeting in September 2000 and to date has met on five occasions.
It has been established on a non-statutory basis for an initial three-year period and has a annual budget of £1 million to deliver on the functions and work programme agreed by Government. It is envisaged that when the committee is fully operational, it will have four full-time staff. Premises for the committee have been secured in Shelbourne House, Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4.
Functions of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs: based on the committee's analysis and interpretation of research findings and information available to it, to advise the Cabinet Committee on social inclusion and through it, the Government, in relation to the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of problem drug use in Ireland, to review current information sets and research capacity in relation to the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of problem drug use in Ireland and to make recommendations, as appropriate, on how deficits should be addressed including how to maximise the use of information available from the community and voluntary sector; to oversee the delivery of a three year prioritised programme of research and evaluation as recommended by the interim advisory committee to meet the gaps and priority needs identified by: using the capacity of relevant agencies engaged in information gathering and research, both statutory and non-statutory to deliver on elements of the programme; liasing with these agencies with a view to maximising the resources allocated to delivering the programme and avoiding duplication; co-ordinating and advising on research projects in the light of the prioritised programme; commissioning research projects, which cannot be met through existing capacity. to commission additional research at the request of the Government into drug issues of relevance to policy; to work closely with the Health Research Board , or HRB, on the establishment of a national information/research database – in relation to the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of problem drug use – which is easily accessible; and to advise relevant agencies with a remit to promote greater public awareness of the issues arising in relation to problem drug use and to promote and encourage debate through the dissemination of its research findings.
