Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2016
419. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding provided to a service (details supplied) in each of the years 2011 to 2015 and to date in 2016; the number of young persons that accessed this service in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28340/16]
View answer420. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health the collaborative work his officials undertake with officials in the Departments of Justice and Equality and Children and Youth Affairs regarding funding for a service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28341/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 420 together.
The Department of Health does not directly engage with other Departments regarding the specific funding of individual service providers, contracted by or on behalf of the Health Service Executive, including the Aislinn Service of Aiséiri.
The Oversight Forum on Drugs (OFD), which I chair, is responsible for the high-level monitoring of progress being achieved across the National Drugs Strategy and meets on a quarterly basis. The OFD comprises representatives from the key statutory Departments and agencies involved in the implementation of the Strategy, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol, the community and voluntary sectors and representatives of the Chairs of the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. It is through this form that the various Government Departments and Agencies collaborate in order to address the approach to drugs issues across the five pillars the National Drugs Strategy.
The funding of the Aislinn Service is a matter for consideration by the HSE in the first instance. The matter regarding funding has been referred to the Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
