Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 27 Jan 1999

Vol. 499 No. 1

Written Answers. - Drug Treatment Services.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

71 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has received an application for funding from an organisation (details supplied) with a view to promoting its parenting programme for drug prevention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27284/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The provision of funding for drug misuse related services in the Western Health Board area is a matter for the Western Health Board in the first instance. I am not aware of my Department having received an application for funding from the organisation. The organisation has been in contact with the Western Health Board regarding receiving financial aid. Subsequently the regional drugs training officer of the board has been in contact with members of the organisation with regard to facilitating a local parenting programme for drug prevention.

While the Western Health Board is supportive of the organisation's parent to parent programme it has invited it to enter into a joint venture with the board to provide a drug questions, local answers course. This course is a training programme which is community based for health and education professionals, gardaí, youth workers, parents and others interested in drug related problems and is facilitated by the health boards. It allows participants examine the nature and extent of the drug problem in their local area and suggests ways to tackling these problems. I understand that the board also intends to actively liaise with the organisation in the future with a view to developing a comprehensive response to the drug problem in the area in which it operates.