THE GOVERNMENT HAS today announced that a new round of funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund is to be released.

In total, €2.7 million will be used for five measures co-ordinated by the HSE. Part of the fund will support initiatives aimed at preventing the misuse of drugs in communities.

Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, Aodháin Ó Ríordáin said today the funding will enable local and regional drug and alcohol task forces to “undertake a range of coordinated activities aimed at raising awareness of drug and alcohol-related harm in local communities”.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, the junior minister emphasised the importance of these groups in tackling Ireland’s drug problem.

“Every drugs taksforce is difference because every area is different,” he said.

“Different groups know their area best and they know the age profile of the area, whether alcohol abuse is prevalent, they know about the off licence locally and can tap into it all better.”

To gain access to some of the funding available, groups can submit applications pitching their ideas for campaigns or for evidence based research.

Disability services and home carers

The money will also support a number of local disability services as well as respite services for people who have a disability. Included in these measures are health-related supports for young people aged 15 to 24 with disabilities and autism.

Further to this €2.7 million, the Department of Social Protection announced €1 million from the Dormant Accounts Fund will be used to support home carers. The new measure will be implemented by Pobal, which will take applications from the start of next month from eligible groups.

Project proposals which provide training, information and related support services to home carers will all be considered.

“The purpose of this measure will be to upskill carers to provide the best care possible, to reduce the risk of injury to the carer and to help them cope with the emotional and psychological aspects of their role,” Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said today.

An account is considered dormant when there have been no customer-initiated transactions for 15 years.

Read: “Ireland has a serious problem – we drink too much alcohol”>

Read: Here’s where some of the money from dormant accounts will go in 2015>