Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Through the Departments, officials and the Council secretariat, we have an input into drugs policy. What happens in all these areas is that, through COREPER, we would feed in suggestions, recommendations and changes. At EU level, drugs policy is crucially important because, as everybody is fully aware, the best way to make any real impact on the movement and shipment of drugs and on the international gangs involved in drugs, most of whom come from far off countries, is to co-operate is at EU level in terms of using information and intelligence. That is on one side. The other side is to build up expertise on the treatment of and the assistance and aid programmes to help the rehabilitation of those on drugs. Many member states have advanced very good programmes. While I am not directly involved, I know from some of the discussions that many countries have piloted various schemes on drugs, on cocaine, heroin and other opiate abusers. Co-operation at EU level in those areas makes enormous sense.

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