Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

Does the Minister of State accept we have had a major crisis in dealing with the drugs issue, particularly over the past five or six months? I welcome the announcements on dealing with the cocaine problem. Is the Minister of State aware that many crimes, including violent crimes, are committed by people who are coked up, or high, on cocaine and that it has been used by those involved in gangland murders?

I refer to strategies to tackle the drugs problem. We need a more targeted response to deal with it because considerable amounts of money are being made from drugs, there are gangland murders and children's lives are being destroyed. Does the Minister of State accept this is a reality for many people? Is he aware of the widespread intimidation of communities every night of the week? There are two areas in my constituency where everything seems to close down after 9 p.m., where there is violence, fear and intimidation and where people are afraid to leave their flat complexes or estates. What response would the Minister of State encourage as part of the strategy to deal with this problem? Is he aware that many of our ports and small harbours are used to import dangerous drugs?

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