Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I know he is not familiar with this territory, but it is not so long since he left so he will have a certain familiarity with the problem which will be useful and it is likewise for his officials.

What we learned about the task forces from the last group that appeared before the committee - and it was not for the first time - is that the money does not seem to be the problem, although more money will be required because the problem is getting bigger. The problem appears to be co-ordination of the efforts of all concerned throughout the community and throughout the regions and local areas. It would be of huge benefit if someone had overall responsibility, as Deputy Shortall mentioned. I am not sure that one overall person is the right way to go about it, but we have an opportunity now to make recommendations to the next committee, whoever may be on it, and the next ministerial task force as to how to proceed. What appears to have happened is that the thinking is good. Everyone has the right intention, but it comes to a halt between election times and different things that seem to divert attention to other areas of equal importance. It is now necessary to give an informed opinion to the next incumbents of the position of this committee and of the task forces and to pick out the most salient parts of the fight against drugs, including the medical part, rehabilitation and dealing with the drug problem in general. We heard earlier that liberalisation of drugs is the answer. It is not. We see more and more instances of school kids, including primary school kids, being taken over by the drugs problem and then their whole lives are affected.

From the Minister of State's perspective and that of the Department and the HSE, how does he see the most dramatic impact of a beneficial nature being made now with the knowledge we have, recognising that we have to go further because the task is getting bigger?