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Topic quick links:
Cover page
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All articles in this issue:
 New Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy
 Use of sedatives or tranquillisers and anti-depressants in Ireland
 Monitoring centre report reveals latest drug trends in Europe
 ‘Drug problems are too complex and dynamic for single magic bullet solutions’
 The first census of homeless persons in Ireland
 Probation Service annual report 2011
 NESC report commends city policing initiative
 Roadside drug testing
 MQI annual review 2011
 Taoiseach officially opens Riverbank Centre
 HSE publishes hepatitis C strategy
 The role of alcohol in rape cases in Ireland
 Prevalence of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in Ireland
 Which talking therapies (counselling) work for drug users with alcohol problems?
 Mental health among homeless male hostel residents in Dublin
 Research on young people leaving state care in North Dublin
 From Drugnet Europe
 In brief
 Recent publications
 Upcoming events
 What makes for a ‘good’ drugs policy?
 Southern Regional Drugs Task Force stresses ‘humanistic’ approach
 Report of Alcohol Action Ireland conference ‘Time Please… For Change’
 Alcohol: increasing price can reduce harm and contribute to revenue collection
New Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy

Labour TD Mr Alex White succeeded Ms Róisín Shortall as Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy in September 2012.

In December Minister White announced the conclusions of a review of drugs task forces by the Department of Health. (See www.drugsandalcohol.ie/19054) The review recommends a series of reforms to better equip the task forces to respond to the current pattern of substance misuse. The key changes include:

• Drugs task forces to be renamed ‘Drug and Alcohol Task Forces’;

• A national co-ordinating committee to be established to guide the work of the task forces and drive implementation of the National Drugs Strategy;

• Clearer terms of reference and corporate governance guidelines for the task forces;

• Measures to encourage more public representative involvement in the work of the task forces; and

• Review of the number and boundaries of drugs task forces, mainly in Dublin.



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