112. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of all local drugs task forces currently in receipt of funding from his Department or the Health Service Executive; the total allocated budget for each local drug task force in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37291/14]

Minister for Health (Deputy Leo Varadkar): In furtherance of the National Drugs Strategy, my Department administers a Drugs Initiative which primarily funds community based drugs initiatives supported by Local and Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Forces. The budget allocation for the fourteen Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces for each of the years referred to by the Deputy is set out in the table.

In the region of €5.1m has been allocated to Local Drugs Task Force projects this year from the Drugs Initiative. The reduced allocation in 2014 reflects the fact that some €13.8m in funding related to Local Drugs Task Force projects was transferred to the HSE by my Department on 1st January 2014.

I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to details of any other funding allocated by the HSE to Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces between 2011 and 2014.