merrion street

Catherine Byrne TD, Minister of State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy, today opened the National Family Support Network Annual Work Conference 2016.

The National Family Support Network (NFSN) is a national organisation that supports family members living with substance misuse. The NFSN receives funding from the Department of Health for the provision of services and to hold the Annual Work Conference.

The Annual Work Conference provides members of family support groups with the opportunity to discuss national policy developments and to participate in training. The NFSN has over eighty family support groups affiliated to the organisation and over 450 family members attend the conference on an annual basis.

Announcing an additional €3 million for drug and social inclusion services in the 2017 Budget, Minister Byrne said: “The Government is committed to improving services for those with drug and alcohol problems and their families. My key priorities in 2017 are to improve service provision for under 18s, provide more detox places for those who wish to become drug free and to make the opiate substitute Suboxone© more widely available for those for whom methadone is not suitable.”

“It is my intention to introduce a pilot supervised injecting facility in Dublin City centre next year,” the Minister continued. “This reflects the Government commitment to support a health led rather than a criminal justice approach to drug use.”

Minister Byrne thanked the Family Support Network for raising awareness and understanding about the problem of drug abuse for families and communities across the country.