Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

One of my questions related to the Citywide survey on cocaine. It confirms what the Minister of State has said, namely, there is clearly a growth in drugs use. The 2004 survey found that 14% of projects reported seeing clients with what they described as problematic cocaine use. However, 62% of projects are now reporting such problematic cocaine use. Two years ago, 92.6% of projects reported existing clients were using cocaine. This survey has shown there is a huge growth in cocaine use.

There is a lack of proper analysis of the information available. There clearly is a gap between what some community groups are doing and what we seem to have officially. The worrying thing for community activists or those involved in the anti-drugs campaign over the years is that the problem is worsening. The survey discusses the emergence of crystal meth and ten projects report on the local availability of crack cocaine. However, the Garda does not seem to have information on the spread of crack cocaine.

Does the Minister of State accept that the survey is useful and timely? Does he believe this data is vital to combating drugs? Some 62% of projects are seeing clients for whom cocaine is their main drug. Half the projects have recorded an increase in cocaine use among clients; one project in north Dublin recorded four cocaine-related deaths.

Does the Minister of State accept that we also need to look at so-called recreational drugs? Does he accept that alternatives, such as cafés or youth clubs, must be provided for young people? It is vital that groups setting up such facilities are funded by the Department. Does the Minister agree that facilities such as these should receive State funding? Is the Department currently funding any alcohol and drug free cafes? These provide an alternative to hanging around on street corners. Such a youth facility operates in Killinarden and a huge number of young people use it, enjoy the atmosphere in it, and are involved in positive activities such as education.

When will the decision be made regarding the cocaine projects? The biggest problem is that the Government, and probably the Minister of State himself, is still unsure as to how to tackle the problem. Anecdotal evidence from across the country suggests drug use is worsening. How will we respond to this?

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