Home > Dail Eireann debate. Written answer 242 - National Drugs Strategy [9491/11]

[Oireachtas] Dail Eireann debate. Written answer 242 - National Drugs Strategy [9491/11]. (03 May 2011)

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242. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to return to participation in drugs task forces [9491/11]

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): My Department’s commitment to the National Drugs Strategy is evidenced in the assignment of two senior staff to work predominantly on issues relating to the Strategy from an educational perspective and also in the continued Department representation, at senior level, on bodies such as the Oversight Forum on Drugs, the Drugs Advisory Group and the National Advisory Committee on Drugs. 

Due to staffing constraints and the outcome of work prioritisation across my Department which identified capacity shortfalls in several key areas, it is not possible to nominate representatives to all of the 24 local and regional drugs task forces.

 

The Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are represented on the majority of drugs task forces. Recognising this, the Office of the Minister for Drugs recently invited the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) to nominate a representative to the Drugs Advisory Group. This nomination has been made. In this context, it has been agreed between my Department and the IVEA that VEC representatives of the different task forces will bring relevant issues to the attention of my Department by means of a sub-committee, to be established shortly. This new approach aims to provide a communication channel between the key education partners in relation to the effective implementation of the National Drugs Strategy.

 

I am committed, within the resources available to my Department, to provide support, from an educational perspective, for the National Drugs Strategy.

Written Answers - National Drugs Strategy
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Vol. 731 No. 1 (Unrevised)

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