Luke 'Ming' Flanagan
Question:388. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the cost of the war on drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43071/13]
View answerTuesday, 15 October 2013
Questions (388)
Written answers
Drugs misuse continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing our country. It is highly destructive and has devastating effects on individuals, relationships, families, communities and society in general.
Implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 which sets out Government policy in dealing with the drugs problem is being pursued across a range of Government Departments and Agencies. Solid progress is being made across the 63 Actions of the Strategy which are based around the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. The Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair, meets on a quarterly basis and reviews the implementation of the Strategy.
An annual progress report on the implementation of the actions of the National Drugs Strategy is compiled and the 2012 report is available on the Department of Health website.
Expenditure directly attributable to Drugs Programmes across Government Departments and Agencies for 2012 was in excess of €241m.