Home > Community drugs problem conference. Opening address by Minister Pat Carey.

Citywide. (2010) Community drugs problem conference. Opening address by Minister Pat Carey. In: Community drugs problem: defining the problem - defending the responses conference, 15 October 2010, Dublin.

This conference was an opportunity for those working in local community projects and groups to come together with local & regional Drug Task Force community representatives to discuss some of the key issues facing communities responding to the continuing drugs crisis.

The theme of the conference was "A Community Drug Problem - defining the problem - defending the responses". The conference was divided into three main sections:

* Engaging "Communities of Interest" locally, regionally & nationally in service provision and policy development.
* Challenges for communities with the Alcohol Strategy roll-out and findings in one area of changing pattern of drug use.
* Community Safety - overview of local, national and international responses.

Pat Carey, Minister for Community, Equality & Gaeltacht Affairs opened the conference and made the following points:

Partnership is key.
Minister Carey stressed that partnership is the key to responding to the problems caused by drugs and alcohol and said that he will continue to support a partnership approach in the delivery of the National Drugs Strategy. He stated that he is grounded in community development principles and doesn't believe in top down policy making.

In relation to rehabilitation:
The 2008 Rehab Report (The Report of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation) is taking a long time to implement. Rehabilitation is more than detox beds, services need to intervene at the earliest stage and keep at it after detox stage. This is a long process and there has to be other supports from education, housing, employment etc or it will not work. He recognises the value of the work being done by Special CE schemes; there are not many places available outside Dublin.

In relation to resources:
He recognises that it has been difficult in the past year for many communities with budgetary cuts and many projects are struggling. He is working to ensure that the status quo remains through next year. His department is a small provider of money and the Departments of Education, Trade and the HSE all have to commit funding to supporting the delivery of the NDS.


Item Type
Conference or Workshop Item
Publication Type
Irish-related
Drug Type
Substances (not alcohol/tobacco)
Intervention Type
Policy
Date
2010
Corporate Creators
Citywide
Event Title
Community drugs problem: defining the problem - defending the responses conference
Event Location
Dublin
Event Dates
15 October 2010
EndNote
Related (external) link

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