Dublin drugs task force suspension only 'temporary', says drugs strategy minister

Drugs strategy minister Frank Feighan has said that the suspension of a Dublin drugs task force is “temporary” pending the appointment of an independent chairperson and the broadening of membership. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Drugs strategy minister Frank Feighan has said that the suspension of a Dublin drugs task force is “temporary” pending the appointment of an independent chairperson and the broadening of membership.

The minister of state at the department of health said that once this is done the suspension will be lifted and the North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force will “resume” its responsibilities.

The statement, issued to the Irish Examiner, stops some way short of meeting a request by the task force for the minister to withdraw the suspension by Friday.

A letter sent by the Department of Health to the task force at the end of last week cited “governance shortcomings” in the minister's decision to suspend its operations.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner yesterday, task force chairman Professor Joe Barry “rejected out of hand” the allegation.

The public health academic said: “We have written to Minister Frank Feighan and asked him to reverse the decision he made and asked him to come back to us by Friday, July 9.” 

A statement issued by community representatives in the task force warned that if the reversal was not forthcoming by Friday that they will be obliged to consider taking “further steps” to defend the reputation and good name of the task force.

This is thought to include possible legal action, such as an injunction seeking to halt the decision. The lawful basis of the department's decision may also be examined.

The department letter sent to the task force last week followed a dispute between officials and the task force over arrangements for the appointment of a new chairperson to replace Prof Barry, who has served for more than a decade.

The task force selected as the new chair Anna Quigley, a community representative with a long-standing involvement in the area in drugs and youth work.

The official handbook governing the running of task forces states the chairperson’s independence “must clearly be established and evident” and that it was important that the chair “is not directly connected” with any of the projects being funded by the task force.

Ms Quigley is coordinator of the CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign, which is based locally but not funded by the task force.

It is thought that the letter sent by the task force to the department states that Ms Quigley is not currently on the board of any other groups receiving funding from it.

The task force agreed to hold off the formal replacement of the outgoing chair to allow for a resolution of the dispute and a response from the department to the task force letter.

The department statement issued to the Irish Examiner today said the minister noted the statement issued by the community representatives.

“He very much respects the views of the three community representatives and values their contribution to the task force,” the department statement said.

“He has asked departmental officials to meet with the representatives to explain the governance issues that have arisen in the task force and the department’s proposal to put in place a process to appoint an independent chairperson for the organisation.” 

It said existing members of the task force, including the three community representatives and the statutory and voluntary representatives, would be consulted about the process to appoint an independent chairperson.

“Approval of the appointment of an independent chairperson will be a decision for the collective task force membership,” it said.

In relation to the suspension, the statement said: “Minister Feighan clarifies that the activities of the task force are suspended on a temporary basis, while the appointment of the independent chairperson and the broadening of the membership of the task force to include all stakeholders, including elected public representatives, are completed.

“When the task force is reconstituted and an independent chairperson appointed, the task force will resume the role and responsibilities for coordinating drug and alcohol services in the north inner city.” 

It said the department's annual funding of €2.2m for community projects and services under the auspices of the task force would continue and that there “should be no disruption in services”.

It said the employment of the two members of staff directly employed by the task force would continue.

“Minister Feighan asks for the cooperation of all stakeholders in putting in place the governance procedures as required in the Dept of Health handbook for task forces," the statement said.

“He said the quicker this is done, the sooner the task force can resume its work in the north inner city.” Commenting, local Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said that while he had issues with the effectiveness of the task force in recent years that the area needed it.

“The North Inner City desperately needs an energetic, active and community-led drugs task force,” he said. 

“I do believe over the last decade the task force hasn’t been as effective or demonstrated the kind of leadership that was needed in an area like the north inner city, on drugs and related crime and related mental health issues.

“That said, I do think that if it is to be rejuvenated, it has to be community led rejuvenation. There are great people there that I trust can do that and Anna Quigley as the proposed chair for me is a person of immense character and I think would bring a new dynamism and leadership.” 

He said “the most important thing” was to get that structure back working in a manner that was effective and represented the needs of the community.

He said he was tabling a parliamentary question asking the Department of Health to outline the “legal basis” for the suspension and to provide information clearly setting out the basis of “very serious” accusations of governance shortcomings, which he said were “unfair” to everyone in the task force.