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 1st 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