Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together.

The overall aim of the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy, NDS, was to examine the progress made to date in achieving the key strategic goals set out in the strategy and to enable priorities for future action to be identified for the remaining period up to 2008. As part of the review, the steering group undertook an extensive public consultation process. As the Government has positioned the drugs strategy within the context of wider social inclusion policy, the recommendations in the report were framed in this context and the focus of the strategy will continue to be on illegal drugs that do the most harm and on the most vulnerable drug misusers, their families and communities.

The key conclusions of the steering group were that the current aims and objectives of the strategy are fundamentally sound and that progress is being made across the pillars. However, the steering group also found that some adjustments were required to refocus priorities and accelerate the roll out and implementation of the various key actions in the remaining period of the strategy up to 2008.

The review found that 49 of the 100 actions had already been completed or were ongoing tasks over the life of the strategy, progress had been made on 45 other actions with more work under way to deliver them and there were six actions upon which considerably more work was required. Also, the steering group's recommendations resulted in 17 of the strategy's existing 100 actions being either amended or replaced with a further eight new actions being identified.

The six actions that were identified in the mid-term review where considerably more progress was required dealt with the following: the extension of community policing fora; review of the effectiveness of the prison strategy with respect to drugs; development of drop-in centres, respite facilities and half way houses; setting up of a pilot community pharmacy, needle and syringe exchange programme; drugs training for various professionals; and discussion of the national drugs strategy at meetings of the Oireachtas committees.

Progress is being achieved under the national drugs strategy. Tackling the drug problem will remain a key priority of the Government.

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