Minister Murnane O’Connor attends inaugural meeting of the Reference Group advising Ireland’s new national drugs strategy

The Minister for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor joined members of the Reference Group at their inaugural meeting today, Thursday 25 September 2025.

The Reference Group will support the Steering Group in drafting the successor national drugs strategy, by providing real-world knowledge and lived experience of drug use and providing guidance and recommendations to the Steering Group while the new strategy is

being drafted. With drug use trends having changed in Ireland over the last number of years, it is important that this new strategy accurately reflects, addresses and is informed by individual, local, regional, rural, and urban experiences.

The Reference Group brings together people from frontline drug and alcohol services community and voluntary organisations, including representatives of frontline services from all over the country, to share ideas, experiences, and advice to help shape a new drugs strategy to better address the harms arising from both drug use, and problematic alcohol use. These include voices from people with lived or living experience of drug use as well as individuals who have had contact with the criminal justice system, Travellers, and migrants.

Membership of the group also includes individuals working in family support services, community drug projects, safer nightlife, harm reduction, in addition to the voice of those working in prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Minister Murnane O’Connor said:

"A proactive approach to membership of the reference group has been undertaken to reflect a wide range of voices and perspectives in order to develop an inclusive, effective, and equitable national drugs strategy for all members of society.

"The voices of individuals with lived and living experience, families and frontline drug and alcohol services community and voluntary organisations across the continuum of care from prevention to treatment and recovery within this group, will inform the drafting of the strategy.

"I look forward to receiving the final draft strategy from the Steering Group in due course."

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Notes

Pauline McKeown has been appointed as Chair of the Reference group.

Pauline McKeown is Chief Executive of Coolmine Therapeutic Community, a national leader in evidence-based addiction treatment and recovery services in Ireland. With over 25 years' experience in social care settings across the UK and Ireland, she has played a pivotal role in shaping policy and practice in the fields of homelessness and addiction recovery.

She is an active contributor to national and European advisory boards, including the National Voluntary Drug and Alcohol Sector (NVDAS), European Federation of Therapeutic Communities (EFTC), and Simon Communities Ireland (SCI).

Pauline’s key interests include equity in treatment access, integrated care, and sustainable recovery.

Membership of the Reference Group is as follows:

Pauline McKeown (Chair)	Coolmine TC
Catriona Kirwan	Carlow Family Support Group and Lá Nua
Julie McKenna	NOVAS
Anne Marie Sweeney	New Communities and Traveller Outreach Service, Coolmine TC
Joe O'Neill	Western Region Drug & Alcohol Task Force
Antoinette Kinsella	DRIVE Project
Gordon Kinsley	South West Region Drug & Alcohol Task Force, Irish Community Action on Alcohol (ICAAN Network)
Riona Greene	South East Region Family Support Network
Paul Delaney	Cornmarket Community Drug Project
Prof. Samantha Dockray	eSHIELD, University College Cork
Laura O'Reilly	Ballyfermot Star
Richard Healy	Service User Rights in Action (SURIA)
Damien Quinn	Spéire Nua
Barbara Ozga	CKU Centre for Counselling and Therapy
Aisling Egan	Focus Ireland

Details of the Steering Group’s Terms of Reference and Membership.