Dublin drug groups meet top policy makers in Brussels (25/4/08)
April 25, 2008 at 2:51 pm Leave a comment
Members of local drugs organisations from Dublin travelled to Belgium this week for a series of high level meetings to discuss future EU drugs policies. The groups represented included the Peter McVerry Trust, the Anna Liffey Drugs Project, Crosscare, Citywide, Saol, Community Awareness of Drugs and the Family Support Network. The Irish delegation, along with Minister for Drugs Pat Carey and Dublin MEP Eoin Ryan, met with top officials from the European Parliament and Commission who are responsible for coordinating the EU’s anti-drugs strategy.
MEP Eoin Ryan said, ‘It’s important for policy officials to meet with community workers, to exchange views and plan how to best support grassroots projects.’ The visit might spark a return trip by the EU officials, who warmly received an invitation extended by the Irish MEP to visit the projects in place in Dublin. Minister Carey added, ‘In Ireland we have very good cooperation between the state and the voluntary sector. This is not the case all over Europe, which is why we need greater coordination between all groups dealing with drugs issues throughout the EU.’
The meeting came as the European Parliament launched a new initiative to boost the involvement of civil society in EU drugs policy. Among those who voted for the scheme was Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell. He said, ‘In Dublin there are so many voluntary groups doing tremendous work with addicts on a daily basis. EU policy on drugs will become more efficient and targeted if a process is set up to consult these groups and highlight best practice.’
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