Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2004
462 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has given consideration to including alcohol and its abuse in the remit of the national drugs strategy team and of local and regional drugs task forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3735/04]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The strategy contains 100 individual actions, under the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research, to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. Since it was launched in May 2001, these Departments and agencies have made considerable progress in implementing the actions set out for them in the strategy.
With regard to the national alcohol policy, the Deputy will be aware that this is the responsibility of my colleague, Deputy Martin, the Minister for Health and Children, who is pursuing a number of initiatives in this area. The national drugs strategy calls for increased links between both policies in terms of cross-representation on the relevant committees and working groups to ensure complementarity between the different measures being taken and this is being done on an ongoing basis. There are no plans at this time to include alcohol within the remit of the national drugs strategy team.
