Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 5

Written Answers. - National Drugs Strategy.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

92 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress to date in establishing the regional drugs task forces as promised in the national drugs strategy; the way in which he intends to fund training initiatives to strengthen effective community representation and participation in regional and local drugs tasks forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14478/03]

Joe Sherlock

Question:

109 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of regional drugs task forces that have been set up; the locations in which such task forces have been established; and the number that have met to date. [14395/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Mr. N. Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 109 together.

Under the national drugs strategy 2001-2008, ten regional drugs task forces are being established in the ten health board areas throughout the country.

The majority of the existing regional drug co-ordinators will act as interim co-ordinators for the RDTFs. Given their knowledge and experience of the local drug problem and their relationship with local agencies and groups, I believe that the co-ordinators will greatly facilitate the development and on-going work of the RDTFs.

In the case of two health boards – the South-Western Area Health Board and the Northern Area Health Board in the eastern region – interim co-ordinators have not yet been appointed. I understand, however, that the national drugs strategy team is pursuing this matter with both the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Department of Health and Children.

The eight RDTFs that have interim co-ordinators already have met or will shortly do so. Fol lowing is a schedule of initial meetings for the Deputies' information.

The NDST is overseeing the establishment of the RDTFs and has prepared guidelines for their operation. A liaison person from the team has been appointed for each task force and their role is to support the setting up and ongoing work of the task force.

My Department is conscious that the community representatives will need proper support and training in order to fulfil their role on the task forces. This issue is being examined by the NDST in conjunction with the interim co-ordinators. In this context, I understand that during March and April this year, before the inaugural meetings of the RDTFs, the interim co-ordinators and the community and voluntary representatives on the NDST set up a series of meetings with community and voluntary groups around the country. The objective of these meetings was to facilitate networking between these groups and their representatives on the RDTFs and to help ensure that the views of all such groups will be represented at the task forces.

It is intended to hold a second series of these networking meetings in the autumn to provide the community and voluntary sector with an opportunity to air their views on the progress of the RDTFs.

Schedule of regional drugs task force meetings:

Regional Drugs Task Force	1st Meeting	2nd Meeting
East Coast Region	5 June 2003
Midland Region	22 May 2003
Mid-Western Region	8 May 2003	27 May 2003
North-Eastern Region	3 April 2003	16 May 2003
North-Western Region	29 May 2003
South-Eastern Region	10 April 2003	4 June 2003
Southern Region	6 June 2003
Western Region	20 May 2003