Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to restructure the local drugs task force to make them more answerable to her and the communities they serve; the steps she has taken to ensure that the drugs task force operate in an open and transparent manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10356/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Action 62 of the National Drugs Strategy (interim) 2009-2016 provides for a review of Drugs Task Forces, including inter alia, a review of their boundaries. The objective of the review is to ensure that maximum benefit is achieved from the activities of Drugs Task Forces, that best value is achieved from the financial and staff resources available, and that effort is targeted to maintain progress made and address new and emerging issues.

The National Drugs Strategy also provides for measures to strengthen the governance and accountability of Drugs Task Forces. In line with the Strategy, Drugs Task Forces are required to report on their activities, including their broader strategic and co-ordination work, during 2010 and their action plans for 2011. The reports will also provide a profile of Drugs Task Force projects, including an assessment of the projects as a group, in addressing the local drugs problem. In this context, the reporting process will feed into the Article 62 review, which I referred to above. The reports from the Drugs Task Forces, together with the annual report from the Oversight Forum on Drugs, which monitors progress at national level, will form the basis for a national review of outputs and outcomes under the Strategy.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the resources that have been provided to the south west inner city local drugs task force for 2011; the projects that will be promoted with the money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10360/11]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Each Local Drugs Task Force has an annual funding allocation from my Department for community-based drugs initiatives. From that allocation, each Task Force has the discretion to allocate funding to projects and initiatives based on the priorities it has identified for its respective area. Funding for these projects is channelled through a designated Department or State Agency.

With regard to South Inner City Local Drugs Task Force, €2,215,434 has been allocated in 2011 to support 38 projects, as listed as follows.