A new strategic action plan for the delivery of the national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, for 2023 through 2024, was published in June 2023.1,2

Context of action plan

The action plan represents the latest phase in the lifetime of the strategy, which at the time of its publication in 2017 was accompanied by a shorter-term action plan (2017–2020).1 A midterm review of the strategy was undertaken in 2021 and its findings informed the development of six new strategic priorities for the remainder of the strategy.3 Six Strategic Implementation Groups (SIGs) were established to drive delivery of these priorities. The new action plan represents the output of their work in agreeing a set of actions for the six groups and associated deliverables for five of them. (SIG 4 did not list any deliverables.) Overall, the new action plan represents a continuation of earlier commitments and outputs from the national drugs strategy.

Many of the actions cited are already underway. Government Departments with responsibility for implementing various actions in the new plan are: Health; Education; Social Protection; Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Justice; Rural and Community Development; and Transport. Agencies with lead responsibilities include the Health Research Board (HRB), Tusla, the Health Service Executive (HSE), An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, and the Probation Service. Task forces and some non-governmental organisations are also tasked with responsibilities.

Strategic priorities and actions

1  Strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and young people

The strategic priorities and their associated actions are outlined in Table 1.

Table 1: Strategy Priority 1 associated actions

2  Enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community

The strategic priorities and their associated actions are outlined in Table 2.

Table 2: Strategy Priority 2 associated actions

3   Develop integrated care pathways for high-risk drug users to achieve better health outcomes

The strategic priorities and their associated actions are outlined in Table 3.

Table 3: Strategy Priority 3 associated actions

4   Address the social determinants and consequences of drug use in disadvantaged communities

The strategic priorities and their associated actions are outlined in Table 4.

Table 4: Strategy Priority 4 associated actions

5  Promote alternatives to coercive sanctions for drug-related offences

The strategic priorities and their associated actions are outlined in Table 5.

Table 5: Strategy Priority 5 associated actions

6  Strengthen evidence-informed and outcomes-focused practice, services, policies, and strategy implementation

The strategic priorities and their associated actions are outlined in Table 6.

Table 6: Strategy Priority 6 associated actions

1    Department of Health (2017) Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery: a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017–2025. Dublin: Department of Health. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/27603/

2    Department of Health (2023) National drugs strategy: strategic action plan 2023–2024. Dublin: Department of Health. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/39064/

3    Drugs Policy and Social Inclusion Unit (2021) Mid-term review of the national drug strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery and strategic priorities 2021–2025. Dublin: Department of Health. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/35183/