Home > Launch of first regional drugs task force strategy.

Reynolds, Siobhan (2005) Launch of first regional drugs task force strategy. Drugnet Ireland, Issue 15, Autumn 2005, p. 1.

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Mr Noel Ahern, Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, launched the first strategy document of the North Eastern Regional Drugs Task Force (NERDTF) on 7 July 2005. This was in the same week that the minister announced an allocation of €2.5 million to initiate the action plans for six of the ten regional drugs task forces. The NERDTF will receive €290,000 of this allocation in addition to their existing resources.

 The document presents strategic priorities to address the problem of drug misuse in the region identified through consultation with stakeholders and communities.1 The NERDTF has estimated that it will cost €2,350,000 annually for all the priority actions to be implemented.

 Some of the more important strategic interests are: 

  • A comprehensive approach to drug and alcohol misuse through the inclusion of alcohol in the terms of reference for the regional drugs task force
  • A focus on prevention of substance misuse among the school-age population and their parents.
  • A range of treatment and rehabilitation options for those with problem substance use to permit the development of individualised care plans and treatment
  • A need to develop a harm reduction approaches to drug use, for example, needle-exchange schemes and drop-in centres
  • A number of research priorities were identified which include describing drug use among hidden populations and developing quality standards for the services.

 Mr Michael Mulvey, community representative for Co Cavan, welcomed all present to the launch. Ms Lesley O’Sullivan, Health Service Executive representative on the NERDTF, described the consultation process, which took place between April and September 2004. The participating agencies represented a broad spectrum of society, including community organisations, special interest groups, young people and health professionals. The consultation process ensured that all agencies in the region contributed to the eventual recommendations of NERDTF Strategy.

 Mr Pat Shields, Chairperson of the NERDTF, said that he was pleased to be involved in the preparation of the NERDTF strategy. He stated that the misuse of drugs was a serious problem for modern society. He reported that the needs of parents’ (of drug users) had largely been overlooked in the past and the inclusion of their needs in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation activities in this strategy was timely. Mr Shields concluded that the consultation process ensured that the strategy was tailor-made for the region.

 Mr Ahern said that the NERDTF strategy outlines the ‘profile of the drugs issue within the North-East, identifies current services, highlights the gaps which exist in service provision and recommends priority actions for future service planning and delivery’. He emphasised the need for wide community support for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation activities in the region. He reported that it was important to attract drug users to and retain them in treatment and stressed that drug-using profiles within communities change and it was important that interventions were flexible enough to respond to such changes.

 Finally Dr Nazih Eldin, interim co-ordinator for NERDTF, presented a review of a number of the recommendations under the pillars of the National Drugs Strategy and outlined its alignment with the NERDTF strategy. Dr Eldin called for the immediate appointment of a full-time co-ordinator and the immediate allocation of a budget to facilitate the vital work identified by the group.

 1. North Eastern Regional Drugs Task Force (2004) Regional Drugs Strategy 2005–2008. Navan, Co Meath: North Eastern Regional Drugs Task Force. 

Item Type
Article
Publication Type
Irish-related, Open Access, Article
Drug Type
All substances
Issue Title
Issue 15, Autumn 2005
Date
July 2005
Page Range
p. 1
Publisher
Health Research Board
Volume
Issue 15, Autumn 2005
EndNote
Accession Number
HRB (Available)

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