Collective endeavour and empowerment are the mechanisms used to achieve social change and foster full, active participation in social and economic life. This contribution has been recognised in several Irish social and economic policy documents. The 2007 National action plan for social inclusion 2007-2016 (NAPinclusion) identified a number of innovative actions under a special ‘Communities’ category, which were seen as key to achieving reductions in consistent poverty. The concepts of ‘active inclusion’ in the revised NAPinclusion for 2015-2017 and an ‘integrated framework for social inclusion’ in the Programme for Government 2016 both depend on active community engagement.

Reducing harm, supporting recovery: a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017‒2025 underlines the importance of strengthening the capacity of communities to respond to problem drug use and emphasises the need for meaningful involvement of service users and their families in the planning, design and delivery of effective services. Community development, community-based management of health and education services, and involvement in cultural activities are vital parts of local life, particularly in areas affected by socioeconomic disadvantage, marginalisation and exclusion.

These are the areas most impacted by problem drug use, a fact recognised by the framing of successive national drugs strategies within the context of social inclusion policy. Community-based organisations working in the drugs area deliver vital services at the local level, represent the interests and concerns of residents, and provide knowledge essential for the development of effective responses at the national level.

This issue of Drugnet Ireland includes a report of a conference organised by the Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force (CDATF). While recognising the important role that community-based organisations have in delivering services throughout successive drugs strategies, participants in the conference also expressed concern that decision-making had become more centralised and that the value of partnership needs greater acknowledgement and concrete support. In the last issue we looked at the effect of economic recession on illicit drug markets. Ireland departs slightly from European norms, possibly as a result of emigration trends. Nevertheless, the connection between difficult economic times and increased use of drugs in the population is well established. While the impact of the recession on drug services has not been rigorously calculated, it would be fair to say that the same economic factors that led to increasing demand on services have also resulted in a reduced capacity to meet this demand because of decreased funding. It is important that all stakeholders recognise these difficulties and take advantage of all opportunities to discuss them frankly and find new ways to develop and strengthen partnership through the current drugs strategy.