Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am referring to the crack cocaine and drug crisis. The figures show a reduction in the allocation for the drugs initiative under subhead B3. Can the Minister provide more information on funding allocated for the national drugs strategy? Many of the groups that appeared before the committee said the crack cocaine epidemic is impacting on many communities and those communities have described it as a throwback to the heroin epidemic that ravaged many inner city areas of Dublin. However, the preponderance and availability of not only cannabis but other drugs throughout the country are causing difficulties. Many of drugs task forces are seeking additional resources to tackle emerging needs. The figures suggest there has been a decrease rather than an increase in that respect. Could the Minister provide us will more information on that? He need not provide it today but it would be useful to have those figures.

In his opening statement, he referred to the continued implementation of organ donation and transplant services. We know through contact with the relevant groups that the waiting lists are getting longer. People are hoping and praying that their loved one will get access to an organ transplant but we know people on those waiting lists are dying. The Minister referenced continued implementation of the services but has he any new plans? He referred to addressing this issue. What message can he send to those families who have loved ones on those waiting lists? Will things be done differently? Will more transplant surgeries be done this year and in future years? A big change will be the increase in access to organ donors with respect to indication on one's driver licence and so on. Has the Minister any new plans in that regard? There is a cost implication but it is about having a strategy to ensure more donor organs are available for people who need them.