955. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the status of the appointment of an independent clinically based addiction nurse to the addiction national oversight committee. [14443/22] 

Frank Feighan, Minister of State at the Department of Health: Further to my reply of the 18th of January on the topic of addiction nurses on the National Oversight Committee, I can inform you that I have decided to appoint an additional (3rd) expert to the National Oversight Committee, with clinical expertise in nursing and addition. 

Discussions between the Drugs Policy & Social Inclusion Unit, the CNO's office and the IntNSA to formalise this appointment are at an early stage. 

I remain committed to the inter-agency approach involving a partnership between statutory, community and voluntary bodies and to the strengthening of the resilience of communities to respond to the drug problem. 

This decision reflects the value of the contribution made by the IntNSA to the national drugs strategy and I am happy that this relationship can continue in the implementation of the strategy through the new strategic implementation groups, under the auspices of the National Oversight Committee.