Governance

The Minister of State, with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy remit includes promoting healthier lifestyles and policies to improve people’s health in Ireland. A National Oversight Committee, chaired by the Minister with responsibility for the national drugs strategy, meets quarterly to support the implementation of the strategy. A Standing Sub-Committee of the National Oversight Committee drives the implementation of the strategy and promotes coordination between national, local and regional levels.

The SICDATF is a multi-sectoral committee, chaired by an independent person, comprising representatives from a range of relevant agencies, such as the HSE, the Gardaí, training boards, and local authorities, as well as elected public representatives and voluntary and community sector representatives. The  SICDATF report to the Drugs Policy Unit,  HSE Addiction Services and the CDYSETB (the two funding channels governing the funding and the SICDATF)

The Task Force structure is intended to facilitate the development of effective, targeted, local responses by utilising the knowledge and experience of all sectors in designing and delivering those services and facilitating the improved coordination of service provision. Encouraging a more diverse stakeholder involvement in the Task Force will shape the development of quality service provision in line with the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare, improve support for people using the services, and continue building community partnerships.

The SICDATF and its sub-committee structure bring together members from the community, voluntary and statutory sectors, elected representatives, and key interest groups to develop and coordinate a collective inter-agency response to drug and alcohol use in South Inner City. This partnership work is carried out under key goals as identified in the National Drug & Alcohol Strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, A health-led response to drug & alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025.

  https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-health/

South Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force – Membership

Name Organisation / Sector
Aileen O’Donoghue Chairperson
Vacant Statutory – HSE
Brian Hanney DCC – Vice Chair
Sergeant Pat Culhane An Garda Síochána
Caoimhe Kerins City of Dublin ETB
Darren Rayner DSP
Mary Doolan Voluntary – RDRD / Spellman Centre
Karen Fleming Voluntary – Community / Response
Tom Kearns Voluntary – Coolmine TC
Przemek Kluczenko Voluntary – MQI
Rachel Rooney Voluntary – RCF
Namwenje Phiri Voluntary – Dublin Simon
Cllr Lesley Byrne Public Representative
Cllr Ciarán O’Meaghar Public Representative
Cllr Kourtney Kenny Public Representative
Pauline McAdams Community
Fran Jacobs Community
Gayle Cullen Doyle Community
Keri Goodliffe HSE Task Force Coordinator

Resources & research

  1. Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery: A health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025 – Department of Health (‘Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery’)
  2. Building Community Resilience: Responding to Criminal and Anti-Social Behaviour Networks Across Dublin South Central – A Research Study by Dr Johnny Connolly – 2019 (‘Building Community Resilience’)
  3. Building A Sustainable Community – Inchicore Kilmainham Scoping Exercise Report (‘Building a Sustainable Community Inchicore & Kilmainham’)
  4. Finglas Safety Report: Perceptions of safety among people living and working in the Finglas Community Safety Forum catchment – June 2019 (‘Finglas Safety Report’)
  5. The Drug-Related Intimidation Initiative (DRII) – Information Pack for services in Dublin’s North-East Inner City working with the issue of Drug-Related Intimidation (‘Drug-Related Intimidation Initiative Information Pack’)
  6. The New Communities Street Drinking Assertive Outreach Project: An evaluation of the pilot project – Dr Eva Devaney – May 2020 (‘New Communities Street Drinking Assertive Outreach Project Evaluation’)
  7. Evaluation Report: Assertive Case Management Team Pilot – Dublin City Centre – Emer Dolphin – 2016 (‘Assertive Case Management Team Pilot Evaluation Report’)
  8. Evaluation of the Assertive Homeless In-Reach Project: Final Report – Ann Clarke – September 2020 (‘Assertive Homeless In-Reach Project Evaluation Report’)
  9. HSE National Office for Human Rights and Equality Policy Newsletter – Winter 2020 (‘National Office for Human Rights and Equality Newsletter’)
  10. Debts, Threats, Distress and Hope:  Towards Understanding Drug-Related Intimidation in Dublin’s North East Inner City – Ana Liffey Drug Project  – 2020 (‘Debts, Threats, Distress and Hope’)
  11. Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 – Ambition, Goals, Commitments – Government of Ireland (‘Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025’)

Information on your rights

  1. National Office for Human Rights and Equality Policy – HSE.ie
  2. Home – IHREC – Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission