An Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs The Expenditure Review Initiative Laying the Foundations for an Evaluation Culture

Origins of the Department Department Established in June 2002 Personnel and Functions drawn from six different Departments Management Changes during first year Physical Dispersal of Offices

Preparing for an Evaluation Culture Secure Senior Management Commitment at highest Level Focus on Internal Audit and Review of Schemes and Structures Increase awareness of Expenditure Review Agenda

Implementing an Evaluation Culture Establish Joint Steering Group Agree Expenditure Review Programme with Department of Finance Assign Responsibilites and have key staff avail of ER Training Opportunities

National Drugs Strategy  7 Year Strategy(but subject to ongoing review)  To significantly reduce the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research  Designed to bring the statutory, community & voluntary sectors together to tackle the issue of drug misuse  Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) involved in tackling drug misuse at community level.

Drugs Strategy Unit, D/CRGA  Co-ordination of the National Drugs Strategy  National Drugs Strategy Team  Overseeing the work of the Local Drugs Task Forces/Regional Drugs Task Forces  Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund  National Advisory Committee on Drugs  Mid-Term Review of National Drugs Strategy

What are the LDTFs?  Set up in 1997  14 Local Drugs Task Forces in Dublin (12), Bray and Cork  In areas of highest problematic drug use, particularly heroin misuse  Bring Community, Voluntary and Statutory Sectors together to tackle drug misuse in the area  Members work together to draft local action plans which respond to local needs

LDTF Action Plans  Contain a range of measures involving treatment, rehabilitation, education, awareness and curbing local supply  Approx. 500 individual projects approved – over 2 rounds of plans  Approx €90m allocated to date  Majority of Round 1 projects have been mainstreamed

Expenditure Review of LDTFs  Joint Steering Group agreed to appoint consultant to carry out review  Terms of Reference agreed by Joint Steering Group  Monitoring Committee established to manage review 2 from Drugs Strategy Unit 1 from Department of Finance 1 from Finance Unit 1 from National Drugs Strategy Team

Expenditure Review of LDTFs (cont’d)  Review commenced end June 2004 to be completed by mid December  Work ongoing Review of Documentation Information Capture of LDTF areas Analysis of Expenditure Collection of Area Level Data on Drug Use and its affects Development of Perfromance Indicators Concentrating on 1 st Action Plan

Issues for LDTF Review  Involvement of LDTF Co-ordinators  Involvement of other Departments and State Agencies  Economic Benefits of Drugs Interventions  Performance Indicators for the future  Other Evaluations/Reviews ongoing  Input into Mid-Term Review of National Drugs Strategy  Appointment of Independent Assessor

Next Steps  Conclude First Reviews and agree dissemination strategy  Agree Schedule and assign roles for 2005 Reviews  Identify priorities for the future