REFORMS TO LOCAL & REGIONAL DRUGS TASK FORCES ARE WELCOME - KENNY

Posted on December 18, 2012 1:12 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour Party TD, Seán Kenny, has welcomed the conclusions of a review of Drugs Task Forces undertaken by the Department of Health.

"Drugs Task Forces were set up in areas experiencing the highest levels of drug misuse, particularly heroin, in the late 1990s. With the establishment of the Regional Drugs Task Forces, they now form part of a nationwide response to substance misuse."

"The Review recommends a series of reforms to better equip the Drugs Task Forces to respond to the current pattern of substance misuse. The key changes include the renaming of Drugs Task Forces as 'Drug and Alcohol Task Forces', reflecting their current role in tackling substance misuse, including alcohol, the formation of a National Coordinating Committee to guide the work of the Drug and Alcohol Task Forces and drive implementation of the National Drugs Strategy, as well as clearer terms of reference and corporate governance guidelines for Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. There will also be measures taken to encourage more public representative involvement in the work of Drug and Alcohol Task Forces, and a review of the number and boundaries of Drugs Task Forces, mainly in Dublin."

"One of the most notable achievements of the Drugs Task Forces is the extent to which they have engaged communities and encouraged different agencies and groups working together at the local level. The reforms that have been announced today are focused on strengthening the impact of Drugs Task Forces so that they continue to be central to the local response to tackling the drug and alcohol problem."

"In excess of €28m will be made available to Drugs Task Forces from the Drugs Initiative Fund next year to support community based drugs initiatives. Drugs Task Forces are currently in the process of determining individual allocations to projects in accordance with their local priorities for 2013. I warmly welcome these changes as they will make the tackling of drug abuse in communities easier and better co-ordinated. The end result will be safer communities with better input from local representatives."