Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 Oct 2003

Vol. 572 No. 6

Written Answers. - EU Presidency.

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

90 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his priorities for the period of the Irish Presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24047/03]

The priorities which my Department has proposed in respect of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union in 2004 are: islands conference in Galway, 19-21 May 2004; rural development conference in Mayo, 30 and 31 May and 1 June 2004; drugs strategy meeting of national drugs strategy coordinators in Dublin, 15 and 16 June 2004.

All three events would be high-level meetings at official level. They have been included in the calendar of such meetings for the forthcoming Irish Presidency, which was deposited very recently in the Oireachtas Library by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I would plan to open the two conferences, and the Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Noel Ahern, would open the national coordinators meeting.

The timing of the events for May and June 2004 means that they would take place after the formal enlargement of the EU on 1 May 2004. In addition, therefore, to their overall objective of making a contribution to furthering strategic consideration by the EU in three important policy areas, they should provide occasions on which to celebrate with, and welcome, ten new members to the European family.

One of the key recommendations in the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 is that regional drugs task forces be established throughout the country. The strategy proposes that RDTFs be established in each of the ten health board areas to develop appropriate policies for the regions.

I am happy to say that virtually all of the task forces are now up and running and are meeting regularly. As a first step in the process of developing action plans, the task forces are currently mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas and the level and range of existing services. This work is being done with a view to better co-ordination of existing services and identifying gaps in the overall service provision.

The situation regarding drug use patterns in the Drogheda area will be considered by the RDTF established in the North-Eastern Health Board area.

I expect that the action plans for the RDTFs will be developed during the course of 2004 as the work referred to above is completed. They will then be submitted to the national drugs strategy team for consideration and ultimately to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion for approval.

Funding for the implementation of the RDTF action plans will be considered in the context of the overall moneys available in 2004.

Barr
Roinn