Since 1997, my Department has been involved in a range of measures to tackle drug misuse. The Deputy will be aware that local drugs task forces – LDTFs – were established in 1997 in the areas experiencing the highest levels of problem drug use. They comprise a partnership between the statutory, voluntary and community sectors and, together, they draft and implement local area action plans which incorporate a range of measures in relation to treatment, rehabilitation, education, prevention, and curbing local supply. There are 12 task forces in the Dublin area, one in Cork and one in Bray, which was designated as a LDTF area in 2000. The LDTFs are now starting to implement their second round of action plans for which over 11 million has been allocated by the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion since the beginning of 2001. In addition, over 120 projects from the first round plans have been mainstreamed through the relevant Departments and agencies, thereby ensuring their continued funding.
The National Drugs Strategy, 2001-2008, which was launched in May 2001, is the first time that all elements of drugs policy in Ireland have been brought together in a single framework. The strategy clearly assigns responsibility to the different Departments and agencies involved in drugs policy under the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research. Under the strategy, a series of 100 actions have been developed which are designed to drive the strategy forward.
The strategy recommends the setting up of regional drugs task forces. These will be set up in every health board area and will bring together the relevant statutory, voluntary and community sectors. Once established, they will be responsible for putting in place a strategy to tackle drug misuse specifically for their regions. The national drugs strategy team participated in a series of seminars last September to assist in this process and work is under way in the regions to progress their establishment.