This is a collective Pre Budget-Submission on behalf of the 14 Local Drug and Alcohol Task Forces (LDATFs). LDATFs were set up in the late 1990s to address the drugs crisis and play a central role in addressing current and emerging drug and alcohol challenges and trends in communities. The LDATFs have come together to seek an immediate increase in funding in line with the rate of inflation1 over the last decade. With inflation of 21% since 2012, this translates into a call for an additional funding allocation of €4 million in Budget 2025 for the community drug and alcohol services which LDATFs support. LDATFs play a key role in the identification of emerging drug and alcohol trends within the local community and are responsible for developing and implementing a local strategy in line with the national strategy Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery (2017-2025).2 We welcome the publication of the report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use3 earlier this year, which our members both individually and collectively responded and contributed to. We also welcome the recommendations in the report and call for their swift implementation. Several of the recommendations (No 9, 12, 15, 18 and 22) call on Government to involve service users and communities, to invest in measures to promote social inclusion, to resource community drugs services and to build on existing local and national partnerships. Enhanced investment in the LDATFs and the communities, organisations, and services they support, and coordinate would contribute significantly to the achievement of these recommendations, given the profile, role and work we undertake and coordinate.

Invest €4m in community drugs services supported by the 14 Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces in Budget 2025. As detailed in this submission these additional resources are required to meet. 

• Increased impact of drug and alcohol use in our communities
• Communities also significantly impacted by poverty and social exclusion
• Capacity of community drugs & alcohol services to aid recovery if properly funded
• Population growth in catchment areas and hinterland which we serve
• No real increase in funding for Local Drugs and Alcohol Services since 2012
• Impact of cost of living and inflation of over 21% in last 12 years
• Costs associated with enhanced governance and compliance requirements