SERDATF

I note that the LECP lists the South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force DRAFT 2015 Priorities as the only substance misuse related document in its "List of relevant plans, strategies and services reviewed", although the list does include a number of substance misuse treatment and rehabilitation services that have been "considered in the development of this draft community plan".

However, I also note that in your "overview of relevant plans and strategies" the only substance misuse related strategy listed in this section is that of the Carlow - Kilkenny Draft Substance Misuse Strategy 2104 -2016, which has not been referred to previously, whereas the actions from the SERDATF DRAFT Priorities (previously referred to in the LECP) do not appear.

The SERDTF Draft Priorities were developed as a direct response to consultations held directly with those in the community most affected by substance misuse related issues at a series of events across the South East, including an event in Kilkenny City. The issues identified by those community consultations relate to Intimidation and threats, anti-social behaviour related to drug and alcohol use, drug and alcohol supply, and access to generic employment, education and training initiatives following completion of substance misuse treatment/rehabilitation, as well as actions that relate more specificallly to the operation of substance misuse specific treatment and rehabilitation services. All the SERDATF Draft priorities are specifically linked to Actions of the National Drug Strategy, and are consequently identified as being the lead responsibility of named statutory agencies (such as the HSE, An Garda Siochana, Department of Social Protection, Education and Training Boards, etc) against which monitoring of progress is relatively straight forward.

The consultation identified that communities have identified their own need for avenues to address the issues that they themselves have identified (such as Drug Related Inimidation, ant-social behaviour, etc), and the SERDATF had hoped that inclusion of these less treatment service oriented issues in the LECP might be a useful starting point. However it would appear that these have not been included in your draft LECP.

As Co-ordinator of the South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force I would be supportive of the Priority Areas identified in the Carlow - Kilkenny Drdfat Substance Misuse Strategy and now in your LECP, but would also content that it is very important that priorities identified by communities, at community consultation events, and that relate specifically to community level issues (as opposed to individual/treatment issues) should also be included.

The community have identified their need for avenues to address community level substance misuse related issues. Their absence from the draft LECP denies the communities the avenue of the LECP as a means to have their issues addressed. If these community issues are not to be addressed here, where will they be addressed ?