Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
1535. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Health to set out in a tabular form the funding provided by his Department and the HSE to each of the local drugs and alcohol task forces in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. [37345/23]
View answer1740. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Health the funding provided to each drugs task force for each of the past five years; the population covered by each task force; his plans to increase core funding for the task forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38338/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1535 and 1740 together.
The 2022 table of funding allocations for task forces is set out below. (Reliable information relating to previous years funding is not available to the Department.) This table does not include new development funding for strategic health initiatives (€1m) and the Community Services Enhancement Fund (€2m).
|
CHO 1 |
2022 DOH |
2022 HSE |
CHO Total |
Population (Source Census 2016) |
|
North West |
€258,633 |
€471,730 |
||
|
North East (50%) |
€0 |
€468,906.50 |
€1,199,269.50 (4.3%) |
391,281 (8.22%) |
|
CHO 2 |
||||
|
Western |
€136,994 |
€534,155 |
€671,149 (2.41%) |
453,109 (9.52%) |
|
CHO 3 |
||||
|
Mid-West |
€147,982 |
€1,270,007 |
€1,417,989 (5.08%) |
384,998 (8.09%) |
|
CHO 4 |
||||
|
Cork |
€57,588 |
€1,472,699 |
||
|
Southern |
€0 |
€983,178 |
€2,513,465 (9.01%) |
690,575 (14.5%) |
|
CHO 5 |
||||
|
South East |
€0 |
€1,075,760 |
€1,075,760 (3.86%) |
510,333 (10.72%) |
|
CHO 6 |
||||
|
Bray |
€573,860 |
€926,271 |
||
|
Dun Laoghaire |
€51,676 |
€839,755 |
||
|
East Coast Area |
€58,200 |
€518,500 |
€2,968,262 (10.64%) |
393,239 (8.26%) |
|
CHO 7 |
||||
|
Ballyfermot |
€255,446 |
€1,241,286 |
||
|
Canal Communities |
€338,605 |
€1,066,248 |
||
|
Clondalkin |
€388,114 |
€1,017,948 |
||
|
Dublin 12 |
€70,397 |
€1,003,750 |
||
|
SIC |
€176,043 |
€1,963,075 |
||
|
Tallaght |
€336,022 |
€908,930 |
||
|
South West |
€102,820 |
€706,497 |
€9,575,181 (34.33%) |
697,644 (14.65%) |
|
CHO 8 |
||||
|
Midland |
€136,816 |
€672,491 |
||
|
North East (50%) |
€0 |
€468,906.50 |
€ 1,278,213.50 (4.58%) |
619,281 (13.01%) |
|
CHO 9 |
||||
|
Ballymun |
€422,958 |
€707,957 |
||
|
Blanchardstown |
€179,305 |
€923,589 |
||
|
Dublin NE |
€239,971 |
€787,116 |
||
|
Finglas Cabra |
€263,277 |
€637,960 |
||
|
NIC |
€394,856 |
€1,844,723 |
||
|
North Dublin City & Co. |
€0 |
€787,243 |
€ 7,188,955 (25.78%) |
621,405 (13.05%) |
|
Overall Total |
€27,888,244 |
4,761,865 |
||
In 2022, I allocated an additional €4.1 million in once-off funding to compensate for the inflation costs incurred by social inclusion services, including drug and alcohol taskforces. See: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/4fd65-health-ministers-announce-81m-in-once-off-funding-for-voluntary-and-community-providers/
Recently, I provided an additional €3.5m in recurring funding to maintain existing level of drugs and inclusion health services. The funding is distributed by community healthcare organisations (CHOs), based on guidance issued by the Department of Health. The allocation per CHO is between €330,000 & €450,000.
The funding recognises the important role of community and voluntary groups in providing drugs and inclusion health services, and acknowledges the increased costs of providing these essential services. Priority will be given to services, including community-based drug services, which are experiencing increased demand and have not received additional funding in recent years, in order to ensure maximum positive impact.
See: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/5d2c8-minister-naughton-announces-additional-annual-funding-of-3-5-million-for-drugs-and-inclusion-health-services/
