Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 January 2022
521. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has made an allocation for the operational budget of the North Inner-City Drug and Alcohol Task Force for 2022; and if this allocation for the North Inner-City Drug and Alcohol Task Force is included in the HSE budget for 2022. [2877/22]
View answer572. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health if his Department has made an allocation for the operational budget of the North Inner-City Drug and Alcohol Task Force for 2022 as with the other 23 task forces nationally; and if this allocation for the task force, set at €224,000 for 2021, is included in the HSE budget for 2022. [3079/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 521 and 572 together.
The Department of Health provides €2.2m for the provision of community-based drug and alcohol services in the north inner city, in association with the North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force.
The task force has informed funded services that it is no longer in a position to function. This follows the resignation of the outgoing chairperson and the impasse that has arisen regarding the appointment of a new independent chairperson.
The Department has asked the channels of funding, the HSE and the City of Dublin Youth Services Board, to provide reassurance to frontline services that the allocation of €2.2m will continue in 2022.
The HSE has met with the directors of the limited company previously associated with the task force, to determine if they wish to continue to receive funding for the provision of drug and alcohol services in 2022. Any funding will be subject to the standard governance procedures for section 39 organisations.
I look forward to a positive outcome from these discussions.
