Purpose The Steering Group will be established for a period of six months to provide expert opinion and oversee the drafting of the new National Drugs Strategy. The Steering Group will provide a forum in which key stakeholder representatives from government, civil society and persons with lived experience can collaborate to prepare and recommend the vision of a whole of society approach to prevent and mitigate illicit drug use and its impact on individuals, their families and communities.

The Steering Group will be supported in its work by a Reference Group of stakeholders (also established for a limited time period) who will provide opinion on draft proposals for the Strategic Pillars and Action Plan of the new National Drugs Strategy.

In addition, engagement with internal Department of Health and other Government stakeholders such as the Department of Social Protection, Department of Education and Youth, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, amongst others will be undertaken where appropriate

Scope of the National Drugs Strategy (NDS)  The new National Drugs Strategy (NDS) will consider cross sectoral issues pertaining to the prevalence and use of drugs to include the services for problematic alcohol use and prevention of alcohol use. Public Health Alcohol Policy is not within the scope of the NDS.

Objective Develop a draft National Drugs Strategy for the approval of the Minister for State for Public Health, Wellbeing and National Drugs Strategy which will set out the vision and implementation of a cross sectoral plan to address issues pertaining to the prevalence and use of drugs, which also includes problematic alcohol use.

• Having regard to the Programme for Government Securing Ireland’s Future 2025, the Interim Report of the Oireachtas Committee on Drug Use, the report of the Citizen’s Assembly, Sláintecare, and The Path to Universal Healthcare Sláintecare 2025+, prepare a finalised draft national drugs strategy that will ensure people with illicit drug and problematic alcohol use, receive the right healthcare at the right time in the right place.
• Develop a suite of Strategic Pillars to provide a framework for the National Drugs Strategy.
• Develop a timebound, task orientated action plan of key priorities, milestones, associated costs, and owners.
• Agree and detail structures to ensure implementation of the new strategy including arrangements for review and evaluation.
• Develop appropriate outcome measures and key performance indicators to assess the future effectiveness of the new strategy.
• Reflect best available evidence and incorporate the relevant learnings from:
  • The Independent Evaluation of Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, national drugs strategy 2017;
  • Independent Stakeholder Consultations conducted on behalf of the Department of Health on the effectiveness of the current strategy and considerations for the new National Drugs Strategy;
  • HRB reports on drug and alcohol use, data analysis and learnings from other jurisdictions, including on early warning systems for emergent drug challenges.
  • The Citizen’s Assembly on Drug Use; and
  • Developments in the EU drugs strategy and action plan.