787. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the DRIVE initiative in Cork. [14466/22] 

Frank Feighan, Minister of State at the Department of Health: The DRIVE Project is a national initiative involving 23 drug and alcohol task forces. It aims to; 

1. Develop a data driven community intervention model to build the capacity of communities to respond more effectively to drug related intimidation and violence. 

2. Build the capacity of relevant stakeholders in communities to better understand drug related intimidation and violence, its impact on their everyday lives and the potential supports available to them for an ordered response 

3. Develop a mechanism for capturing the nature and prevalence of drug related intimidation and violence at community, regional and national level to informed targeted responses at each level of need 

4. Develop sustainable regional and local interagency structures and systems to improve collaboration between the An Garda Síochána and key Community, Voluntary & Statutory stakeholders across Task Force Areas to work together to address drug related intimidation at community level 

5. Develop an interagency focal point for developing models of good practice, dissemination of evidence informed approaches and awareness raising 

In 2019, the Department of Health provided funding of €180,000 over 36 months to the DRIVE initiative. The DRIVE Oversight committee leading the initiative comprises of relevant stakeholders from the Regional and Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces, An Garda Síochána, the HSE Addiction Services, Family Support Services, Community & Voluntary services and Probation Services. 

I launched the DRIVE research report in late November 2021. 

Phase 2 of the DRIVE initiative involves the following actions; 

1. The recruitment of the DRIVE coordinator to project manage its roll-out and dissemination into communities 

2. The development of the data collection tool with the Health Research Board. 

3. Design training in conjunction with An Garda Síochána, task forces, and people with lived experience and progress to implementation on the ground

A Data subgroup has been established with members of the DRIVE oversight Committee and HRB.

Through the DATFs a group of over 25 frontline practitioners from around Ireland are engaged in a drug related intimidation data collection scoping exercise which will help inform a standardised tool for capturing anonymous data on the nature, prevalence and extent of drug related intimidation across DATF areas.

I fully support the work of the DRIVE Initiative to tackle drug related intimidation and violence and look forward to the implementation of the new data-driven community intervention model. I will consider any request for additional resources upon completion and evaluation of phase 2 of the project.

It is suggested that the Deputy contact the Cork drug and alcohol task force who may be able to provide additional information in relation to the activities of the DRIVE project in Cork.