338. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the funding that will be allocated from budget 2018 to community drug and alcohol support programmes based in the north-east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48075/17]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Catherine Byrne): The Government’s response to addressing substance misuse in Ireland is set out in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery -A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025. The strategy emphasises a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland, based on providing person-centred services that promote rehabilitation and recovery. It identifies a set of key actions to be delivered between 2017 and 2020, and provides an opportunity for the development of further actions from 2021 to 2025 to address needs that may emerge later on in the lifetime of the strategy. The key health-related priorities for 2018 in Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery and associated resource requirements will be determined by my Department, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive, in the context of the development of National Service Plan for 2018. The amount of funding allocated in 2018 to community drug and alcohol support programmes operated by the North East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force will be determined as part of this process. In addition, I am committed to putting in place additional resources next year to develop a new programme to mobilise community action on alcohol in line with Action 1.1.1 of Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery. This scheme will promote the use of evidence-based approaches by community drug and alcohol support programmes at local level.