158. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Health and Children her Department’s annual spend on tackling problematic alcohol and illegal drug use respectively for each of the past three years. [20957/09]

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): In relation to tackling problematic alcohol and illegal drug use the provision of treatment and related services is a service matter primarily for the Health Service Executive. In relation to alcohol my Department has incurred some expenditure in the last three years as follows: €0.219 million in 2006; €0.063 million in 2007 and; €0.083 million in 2008.

The expenditure in 2006 refers mainly to final payments in respect of social marketing and awareness campaigns on alcohol, responsibility for which transferred to the Health Service Executive during 2006. Expenditure in 2006, 2007 and 2008 includes costs associated with the monitoring of adherence to the Codes on Alcohol Advertising and Marketing.

My Department has spent the following amounts directly attributable to drugs for each of the past three years: €0.978 million in 2006; €0.984 million in 2007 and; €1.033 million in 2008.

The above funding for drugs was primarily for the Alcohol and Drug Research Unit of the Health Research Board.

As the Deputy will be aware the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has policy responsibility for the co-ordination of the National Drugs Strategy while the Department of Health and Children has policy responsibility for drug treatment issues and for some aspects of prevention.

Vol. 683 No. 3
Written Answers
Tuesday, 26 May 2009