Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an rún tábhachtach seo. Tá an Comhaontas Glas ag tacú leis, mar a luaigh an Teachta Boyle.

This is an important and welcome debate, particularly in light of what I perceive as a certain amount of ambivalence on the part of the Government when it comes to dealing with addiction and social disadvantage. The Government has failed to get to the heart of the problem and to provide the necessary treatment to those who have fallen into the clutches of unscrupulous and vicious individuals involved in the drugs trade.

On most occasions when we debate this matter, we discuss illegal drugs. However, as indicated on Order of Business, strong evidence was provided yesterday by Dr. Jean Moriarty to the effect that, as a result of alcohol abuse, people are being affected by liver failure at a much younger age and that half of those admitted at weekends to the hospital in which she works are found to be suffering from the effects of alcohol consumption. Despite this, an alcohol products Bill has not been introduced and the alcohol industry is governed only by a voluntary code. Therein lies part of the problem, particularly if the Government wants to be seen as being interested in, not to mention dealing with, the problem of drug abuse.

In my constituency, Dublin North, major courage has been shown by members of the community in tackling this problem, providing training and as much treatment as possible and putting in place preventative measures in areas that are prey to drug dealers. I refer here, for the most part, to the dealing of illegal drugs. The example to which I refer must be replicated throughout the country. On a particular housing estate in Balbriggan, the town in which I live, rather than close their doors and hope that the drug dealing on their streets was not happening, parents, especially mothers, came together and effectively faced down the dealers who were gathering on street corners with the intention of luring these people's children and teenagers into their company. As a result and following a large public meeting, a group that involves input from every housing estate in the town was formed. As the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Noel Ahern, will be aware from his visit to Dublin North last Monday, the Balbriggan Awareness of Drugs group has gone from strength to strength and is not in any way given to the kind of knee-jerk reaction that sometimes occurs and that smacks of vigilantism. The group provides parent-to-parent courses that empower parents to intervene and play a vital role in protecting the health of their children and prevent them from having to seek treatment. Such treatment is provided, though not to an adequate degree, in places such as the Rutland Centre.

The Government must realise that while it may seem to be saving money, the cost will be greater in the long term if it does not put in place the necessary resources in respect of the provision of drug treatment. Those who emerge from the Rutland Centre having undergone a difficult and long treatment process are, unfortunately, only too likely to relapse for want of the supports that are needed, namely, a mentoring system, employment opportunities, financial incentives and the help required for those convalescing in such circumstances. Those undergoing medical treatment, many of them on medical cards, are undoubtedly experiencing difficulties and, unfortunately, they are not likely to be cured unless the Government takes more interest in providing ongoing treatment. Such treatment is not provided at present and that is a matter over which the Government must stand indicted.

The motion refers to community gardaí and the Garda drugs unit. Currently, the Garda is stretched beyond breaking point in towns such as Balbriggan and its environs, which has a population of the same size as Tullamore; Swords, which is the same size as Waterford city; and Malahide and Portmarnock, which are the same size as Clonmel. In effect, they are cities. However, these large towns are trying to cope with the same Garda presence as existed in 1988, or even less in some cases. I ask the Minister of State to get real about this issue by putting resources into it and saving money in the long term.

See this speech in context