Billy Timmins
Ceist:138 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the additional services and new programmes he intends to introduce to assist homeless opiate users. [217856/03]
Vol. 569 No. 4
138 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the additional services and new programmes he intends to introduce to assist homeless opiate users. [217856/03]
As the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008.
My Department also has responsibility for the work of the 14 local drugs task forces, LDTFs, which were established in 1997 in the areas experiencing the highest levels of drug misuse. The LDTFs develop local action plans, based on their identified priorities, which are funded from my Department. In total, the Government has allocated or spent over €65 million to implement in the region of 500 projects contained in the plans of the task forces since 1997.
In this context, a number of the LDTFs have identified services specifically for homeless drug users – in particular outreach teams and drop-in centres. However, it should be noted that the bulk of services for homeless drug users are either funded through the local authorities and the health boards and significant funding has been provided in this regard.