Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 December 2013
124. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the funding that will be made available to an organisation (details supplied) in view of the fact that it saves his Department thousands of euro every year through the services it provides and by keeping people out of jail or juvenile facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53259/13]
View answerThe problem of drug misuse remains one of the most complex social problems that we face. Our national response to the problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy for the period 2009-2016. The Strategy adopts a comprehensive and pillar based approach to the issue, involving the implementation of a wide range of measures across the five pillars of drug supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. The Strategy is being led out under the stewardship of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White. Under the National Drugs Strategy, the HSE is the lead organisation, under the treatment pillar, with responsibility for expanding the availability of, and access to residential detox facilities and treatment services for under-18s.
In the meantime, the Community Programmes Unit of Irish Youth Justice Service, working in partnership with the Young Persons Division of the Probation Service has supported the organisation in question over the past few years. This was on top of the funding the organisation received from the HSE. A request for funding and a business plan has been submitted to the Probation Service for 2014 by the organisation. It will be considered by Young Persons Probation and the Irish Youth Justice Service in the context of youth justice priorities and available resources. The Irish Youth Justice Service expects to be in a position to notify the funding allocations for 2014 to community based organisations early in January.
