Making the announcement, Minister Curran said: 'A combined strategy will facilitate a more coherent approach to the issues and consequences of alcohol and illicit drug use including addictive behaviours. We cannot continue to look at these problems in isolation.'

 

Questioned about the new strategy in Dáil Éireann on 29 April 2009, the Minister said: 'I expect to be presenting the draft strategy to Government for consideration in late May or early June. The measure, as approved by Government, will be published as an interim strategy pending the drafting and finalisation of a national substance misuse strategy. In this context, the Deputies should note that a new steering group will be established in the autumn to develop proposals for the overall substance misuse strategy, which will incorporate the already agreed drugs policy element. The group will be asked to report by the end of 2010.' 1

 

1. Curran J (2009, 29 April) Parliamentary Debates Dáil Éireann (Official Report - Unrevised), Vol. 681, No. 2: 362.