789. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the HSE received an instruction from his Department on 24 June 2021 to suspend the funding allocation for operational and administrative funding to the North Inner-City Drugs and Alcohol Taskforce; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that this instruction was not communicated to the taskforce; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the suspension of funding remains in place; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the Assistant Secretary (Corporate Legislation, Mental Health, Drugs Policy and Food Safety Division) of his Department wrote to the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force on 27 July 2021 to advise that it continue its essential business activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6651/22] 

Minister of State at the Department of Health Frank Feighan: The North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force oversees in the region of €2.249m in funding annually form the Department of Health.

The Department of Health uses channels of funding for the administration of funding to drug and alcohol projects that fall under the ambit of Task Forces. CDYSB administer in the region of €197,428 to four front line drug and alcohol projects in NIC on behalf of the Department of Health. The HSE acts as a channel of funding for the distribution and oversight of €2.025m in funding to services in the NIC.

North Inner City Drug and Alcohol Task Force has informed local services that it is no longer in a position to function. This follows the resignation of the outgoing chairperson and the impasse that has arisen regarding the appointment of a new independent chairperson.

The Department has asked the channels of funding, the HSE and the City of Dublin Youth Services Board, to provide reassurance to frontline services that funding will continue in 2022.

In 2021, the HSE allocated €244,473 for the NICDATF company for office programmes and resources. The HSE holds a Service Level Arrangement (SLA) with the NICDATF company for the delivery of these activities. I understand that on a number of occasions in Q1 and Q2 2021 the HSE sought detail from the then chairperson and coordinator on how funding to the company was to be used in 2021. Despite the HSE outlining the critical importance of having this break down of service, the company has not engaged with the HSE and not delivered the activity as agreed in the 2021 SLA that it holds with the HSE.

I understand that the HSE met with the NICDATF company on 13th January to understand the current position in relation to service delivery and discuss the parameters of funding in 2022 that could be provided to the company. As the management of the SLA is a service delivery matter for the HSE, the NICDATF company is advised to engage directly with the HSE to address any concerns.