COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

MOTION NO. 24

MOTION: Councillor M. Ward

"In Budget 2018, the government announced an additional allocation of 6.5m euro for drug-related actions but this is just one off funding and is inefficient to support the strategic and sustainable investment in local services in Clondalkin.

This Committee calls for the 2019 budget to provide for the restoration of the Drugs and Alcohol Task Force Budgets Drugs to pre-austerity 2008 levels."

REPORT:

The Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces (LDATFs) have provided their local communities (the communities most critically effected by problem drug use) with crucial support in responding to drugs problems over the past two decades.  They provide a multi-agency structure in which local communities can raise their concerns and assist in the planning and oversight of locally developed services and responses, alongside local public representatives, statutory, voluntary and community agencies. 

LDATFs provide their local communities (the communities most critically effected by problem drug use) with crucial support in responding to drugs problems over the past two decades. They provide a multi-agency structure in which local communities can raise their concerns and assist in the planning and oversight of locally developed services and responses, alongside local public representatives, statutory, voluntary and community agencies.

Budgetary reductions in the period 208 to 2014 impacted significantly on delivery of local support services for drug users and their families as well as resulting in reduced intervention and support services for young people in the most seriously affected areas.  Drugs problems in local communities are increasingly complex with emerging trends and associated issues providing additional challenges that require significant additional funding to be addressed meaningfully.

Despite large amounts of additional funding being allocated to social inclusion and drug services in 2018, there has only been limited additional and once-off funding provided for LDATFs.  With the Health budget now set for 2019 the Health Service Plan for 2019 and associated priorities and allocations are awaited to assess the proposals in relation to LDATFs.