Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 3 October 2024

Committee on Drugs Use

A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed)

9:30 am

Mal O'Hara (Green Party)

The story of Davina sat with me. I have known Davinas. I grew up with Davinas. I was born at an interface in working class north Belfast, so I know exactly what was meant.

I wish to discuss the tension between specialist and mainstream services. My background is in community health and well-being, particularly in the LGBT sector. There was an argument we always had about how we needed to shift mainstream services culturally so that they were more accessible to women and minority communities but how we also needed to provide specialist services for women and minority communities that were culturally competent. What is the panel’s sense of where we are currently and how much we need to grow distinct provisions?

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