Written answers
Wednesday, 2 October 2024
Department of Health
Health Strategies
Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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244. To ask the Minister for Health if the new national drugs strategy will definitively address alcohol in a comprehensive manner, or if a standalone national alcohol strategy is needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39335/24]
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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247. To ask the Minister for Health if the new national drugs strategy will pay due attention to alcohol relative to its impact on Irish life, on the health service, on the criminal justice system, on education, on road safety and on workplace productivity; if he believes a standalone national alcohol strategy would be a better means of addressing these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39343/24]
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 247 together.
The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, is a health-led response to drug and alcohol use, and it runs from 2017 to 2025. The Strategic action plan for 2023-2024, contains 34 actions across six strategic priorities. Three of the strategic priorities have a focus on alcohol use:
- strengthen the prevention of drug and alcohol use and the associated harms among children and young people,
- enhance access to and delivery of drug and alcohol services in the community and
- develop harm reduction responses and integrated care pathways for high risk drug users.
The recommendations of the Citizens Assembly will be critical in shaping the future development of drugs policy. Policy will also be guided by a) the views of people with lived and living experience of drug use and b) international collaboration on evidence-based policies and practices on drugs
The proposed timeframe for the finalisation of the new national drugs strategy is the first quarter of 2025.
Information on the Department's alcohol policy is set out .
I am fully aware of the harms of alcohol use and the overlap with other forms of drug use. It is my ambition that the next national drugs strategy will address the reasons why people use drugs and alcohol, reduce the harms associated with problematic drugs and alcohol use and support recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
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