The chairman of the South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force (SERDATF) has called on the HSE to find an ‘urgent resolution’ to a HR issue that has left the service – which supports families affected by drug-related intimidation – without a lead coordinator for the last seven years.
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which → call → years
The Irish Mail on Sunday has learned SERDATF lead coordinator Chris Purnell has been on ‘gardening leave’ for seven years as a result of an ‘internal HSE HR issue and grievance process dispute’.
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Purnell → learn → issue
Task force chair Stephen Murphy said being without a lead coordinator is ‘seriously hindering’ their work.
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being → say → work
He told the MoS: ‘I’m calling on the HSE to find a resolution to this issue as a matter of urgency.
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I → tell → urgency
'It has been going on for seven years now and is seriously hindering important work.’
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It → go → work
The issue came to light following the horrific arson attack in Waterford earlier this month that resulted in the deaths of a couple and two of their young children and critically injured two further children.
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that → come → children
Inter-agency project DRIVE (Drug Related Intimidation and Violence Engagement) comes under the remit of SERDATF and works in association with community groups and gardaí.
The project aims to eradicate drug-related intimidation through inter-agency support.
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project → come → support
The project aims to eradicate drug-related intimidation through inter-agency support
Dealers up and down the country are intimidating innocent family members over drug debts
Last week, Mr Murphy told the Principal Officer of Drug Policy and Social Inclusion at the Department of Health that SERDATF’s work has been ‘severely limited’ as a result of the HR dispute.
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work → aim → dispute
In the letter seen by the MoS he wrote: ‘The absence of a dedicated coordinator is now a critical barrier to sustaining and expanding this work.
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absence → see → work
‘Without central oversight and coordination, our capacity to manage projects, secure resources, and maintain strategic momentum is severely limited.
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capacity → manage → momentum
Mr Murphy added that SERDATF ‘urgently request that the department address this capacity gap to ensure the continuation and growth of our work’.
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department → add → work
The HSE has refused to comment on the matter.
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HSE → refuse → matter
Task force chair Stephen Murphy said being without a lead coordinator is ‘seriously hindering’ their work
In response to queries this week, the HSE said that it ‘does not discuss any individual employees’.
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it → say → employees
The issue was first highlighted by WLR (Waterford Local Radio) presenter Damien Tiernan, who reported that the position has been filled on an interim basis in recent years.
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position → highlight → years
Waterford Independent councillor Declan Barry, who is the sole member of the local authority on the DRIVE project, told the station he never hears back from anyone in relation to issues raised at meetings.
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he → tell → meetings
Mr Barry said the lack of a full-time, designated coordinator is impeding progress.
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lack → say → progress
‘We need urgent clarification on what is happening as this is a very, very important matter,’ he told WLR.
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he → need → WLR
‘Meetings are scheduled and cancelled at short notice for no apparent reason.
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Meetings → schedule → reason
It’s not functioning as it should be.’
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it → function → ?
Three people arrested in connection with the horrific arson attack that resulted in the deaths of a couple and their two young children in Waterford last week have been released without charge, gardaí confirmed yesterday.
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gardaí → arrest → charge
The three people – a man in his 50s and two women in their 30s – were arrested on Tuesday and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
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people → arrest → Act
Under the anti-gang legislation, gardaí can detain suspects for up to seven days.
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gardaí → detain → days
In a statement yesterday, gardaí confirmed the three people have been released without charge, and a file will now be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
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file → confirm → Prosecutions
A fourth person, a man in his 20s who was arrested on Thursday, remains in Garda custody.
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who → arrest → custody
An Garda Síochána said that their investigation remains ongoing.
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investigation → say → ?
Kim and Philip English, and their sons, 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden, died following an arson attack on their semi-detached home in the Birchwood estate on Tuesday, October 13.
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English → die → Tuesday
Kim and Philip English, and their sons, 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden, died following an arson attack on their semi-detached home in the Birchwood estate on Tuesday, October 13
Two more children were critically injured in the attack.
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children → die → attack
A total of six people have so far been arrested as part of the investigation into the arson attack.
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total → arrest → attack
The two other people, Jessica Dalton, aged 31, with an address in Waterford city, and 21-year-old Cian Stacey, of no fixed abode, appeared before Waterford District Court on Tuesday.
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people → appear → Tuesday
They were further remanded in custody and will appear before the same court again via video-link on November 17.
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They → remand → November
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we → accept → article
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