Finglas task force vacancy
Deputy Ellis said the Finglas and Cabra drugs and alcohol task force urgently needs a permanent co-ordinator, but the recruitment embargo is blocking replacement. The Minister praised the task force, said increased investment was continuing, and would revert on the specific post; he accepted it was a like-for-like replacement.
The co-ordinator of the Finglas and Cabra local drugs and alcohol task force, Mr.John Bennett, who did an enormous amount of work, passed away recently. A temporary co-ordinator has been put in place until the vacancy is filled.
Due to the HSE embargo on recruitment, and budget restraints, the task force is unable to fill the position. This position needs to be filled as a matter of urgency because of the serious drug and alcohol problems that need to be addressed in the community. When will the embargo be lifted? This embargo is putting a huge strain on the vital services the task force provides. This needs to be urgently addressed. It is not even an extra cost. It is just a replacement.
Comment on this
I join the Deputy in commending the vital work the task force does. As the Deputy will be aware, there is increased investment in drug and alcohol programmes and support services. We need to go a lot further but we are increasing the services year on year. If the Deputy does not mind, I will revert to him regarding that particular post. My hope, especially as regards a replacement post where somebody has resigned, is that we will be able to revert to normal business in due course on that. Certainly, it is not the intention that situation would last, for example, through next year. It was simply that this year, when the HSE reached and exceeded its funded positions, we had to stop for the obvious budgetary control reasons, but we want to get back as quickly as possible to business as usual.