Home > Seanad Eireann debate. Commencement matters - Local Drugs Task Forces.

[Oireachtas] Seanad Eireann debate. Commencement matters - Local Drugs Task Forces. (15 Dec 2021)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad...


Senator Lynn Ruane: I thank Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, for being in the Chamber today. I purposely requested the Minister for Health because we are at a point of escalation in relation to the issue I speak to today. If I were in a position to do so, I probably would have called for the Taoiseach to come in to address the issue. He has spoken about it in the Dáil.

What is happening right now with the north inner city drugs task force represents what I and many who on the ground and involved in drugs task forces believe to be one of the most serious attacks that we have experienced on the principle of community engagement on our national drug strategy, NDS, and on the independent voice of the community sector. That attack happens by throwing out words like "governance" and never backing it up and saying what the governance issues are, neither within these Chambers nor to the people who the allegations are levelled against.

It reminds me a little bit of growing up in my community where all you had to do is write, "Lynn is a rat" on the wall. You never had to give any evidence, explain why or give any sort of rationale as to what that meant. However, you were tarred as soon as it was there. Everybody else would slowly step away, just in case what was being said was somehow right.

That is what the Department is doing to the north inner city. It is labelling it as if there is something there, but it is not saying what that is. The north inner city has now been without a functioning drugs and alcohol task force since June. This has happened because of the actions of a Department official who took upon himself the right to interfere in the selection of the new task force chair by blocking the appointment of the duly elected incoming chair. Right now, this official is continuing to interfere by setting up bilateral meetings with task force members, operating outside of any kind of proper process or procedure that we should be entitled to expect from any public official.

The selection process for the new task force was overseen and managed by the outgoing chair, Dr. Joe Barry. The new chair, Ms Anna Quigley, was nominated by the task force community representatives and unanimously approved by the full task force membership in April.

By blocking the appointment of a strong community nominee as chair, the professional integrity and reputation of both the outgoing and incoming chairs have been questioned and undermined. Unfounded allegations around governance issues are being made without producing, as I said, any shred of evidence whatsoever. Both are known to us all as people of the highest standing in their fields and highly respected across many sectors involved in our NDS. We should be thrilled that people of this calibre are willing to take on a voluntary role as a chair of a drugs task force and offering them every encouragement. Instead, this whole sorry story sends out a very disheartening message to anyone who might be thinking about making a contribution to their community in this way.

Last week in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said he: "... passionately believe[s] in the community and voluntary pillar in terms of the implementation of national [drugs] strategies and in working to formulate and implement those strategies". I believe him. We are asking his colleague, the Minister for Health, who I would like to have seen here, to immediately intervene in this situation. I ask that the Taoiseach meet with the north inner city community networks as they called for his support in their statement last week. The outcome of what is happening in the north inner city has really serious implications for all drugs task forces. If things continue in the direction they are going in it is a clear message to all such task forces that the Department of Health is in control and if they do not go along with what it wants them to do then they will be punished. It sends out a clear message to all of us in the community sector that there is no place for us anymore in the national drugs strategy.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Frankie Feighan): I thank Senator Ruane for raising this issue. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, is in the Dáil from 10 a.m. until noon for a Private Members' Bill. I welcome the opportunity to update the Seanad on the Department's engagement with the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force to address the governance issues that are preventing it from operating effectively.

Drug and alcohol task forces play an important role under the national drugs strategy in co-ordinating services to assist individuals and families to address drug and alcohol issues in the community. Task forces oversee the allocation of almost €29 million in Government funding. A handbook for governance and operation of task forces is in place since 2011. Task forces are expected to conduct their affairs in accordance with the handbook. Senator Ruane, as the independent chairperson of a drug and alcohol task force, will be familiar with the handbook and appreciate its role in managing the affairs of the task force.

The devastating impact of drugs and alcohol use on the north inner city was acknowledged by the Government with the establishment of the North East Inner City, NEIC, Programme Implementation Board to implement the recommendations of the Mulvey report. The Department of Health chairs the board subgroup on drugs and alcohol use and works closely with local stakeholders, including drugs and alcohol task forces, to improve the provision of drug and alcohol services in the community. The Department co-funded a community needs analysis to identify drug and alcohol issues affecting the local community, in conjunction with the task force. The Department also engaged with the task force on the appointment of a new independent chairperson to drive the work of the task force. It identified the need to broaden the membership of the task force to include all local stakeholders. The Department has sought to work with the task force leadership and membership to address these governance concerns. I support the autonomy of the task force to appoint its chairperson and believe the collective membership is the appropriate entity to appoint a chairperson on a consensual basis. It is important that the membership of the task force is afforded the opportunity to consider these governance concerns and to decide how it wishes to proceed on the appointment of a chairperson.......

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