Group recommends colleges provide drug and alcohol free spaces for students
Universities and colleges may soon have to provide drug and alcohol free spaces.
It is part of a Government initiative aimed at tacking alcohol abuse on campus.
This move comes following concerns over drug use among students and after a number of deaths from suspected overdoses in recent years.
The Minister for State Mary Mitchell O'Connor convened a rapid response group to device an action plan to deal with substance use on campuses.
It is recommending that colleges should provide drug and alcohol free student accommodation and social spaces.
It also suggests allocating space for support groups for those working with people who are struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.
It also recommends thinking about safety issues around alcohol when planning large events and also providing counselling services for students on abuse issues.
Colleges and universities are also being asked to gather long term data on drug use to look at the scale of the problem.
