Press release
Minister Hildegarde Naughton chairs ministerial meeting of British-Irish Council drugs and alcohol work sector
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton has today welcomed agreement for cooperation by British-Irish Council (BIC) members on initiatives to reduce drug and alcohol harm.
The Minister was speaking as she hosted a ministerial meeting on the drugs and alcohol sector in Dublin, with representatives from other BIC member administrations, including Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man and Guernsey.
The ministers have agreed a Forward Work Plan, focusing on five themes:
Minister Naughton said:
"We know that drug and alcohol problems are complex and multi-faceted, and have wide-reaching impacts for individuals, families and communities. These are not problems that any one administration can tackle alone, so the British-Irish Council provides a vital forum for members to share experiences and learn from one another in order to develop effective evidence-based-policies to reduce drug and alcohol harm.
"Over the past few years, our countries have worked together on approaches to reducing drug-related deaths and alcohol-related harms, with particular emphasis on the link between homelessness and drug and alcohol consumption.
"We have also worked hard to ensure that the voices of people with lived experience are heard in the development of robust policies and treatment services.
"Through continued engagement and sharing of information and experiences, I am confident that we can further utilise our shared learnings as we endeavour to expand and improve services for people affected by drug and alcohol use."
During today’s meeting, ministers also received a presentation from Chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use Paul Reid, who spoke about the Assembly’s function as a model for deliberative democracy.
The British-Irish Council is a forum for its eight Member Administrations to exchange information, discuss, consult, and use best endeavours to reach agreement on co-operation on policy areas of mutual interest.
The BIC drugs and alcohol work sector is chaired by the Irish Government and meets up to three times a year at official level and every two years at ministerial level.