598. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update to the restoration of an umbrella national family support network. [57412/22] 

Frank Feighan, Minister of State at the Department of Health: The National Drug Strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, commits to strengthening services to support families affected by substance misuse. 

It is a priority for the remaining period of the strategy to strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children, young people and families. 

The HSE funds a number of organisations that provide family support services at both local and regional levels. 

The Department is aware of the closure of the National Family Support Network (NFSN). This was a voluntary organisation, made up of local and regional family support networks. The Department has engaged with local and regional family support networks following the closure of the NFSN I believe that family support services have an important role to play in the implementation the national drugs strategy and I am supportive of their efforts to work together both regionally and nationally.