Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for his questions and know he understands the problem. I do not disagree with anything contained in the Citywide survey — it is a reflection of attitudes on the ground. We are working in partnership with community groups and the local drugs taskforces. Approximately €70 million is being spent annually on projects that were recommended and suggested at community level. While we take on board their suggestions about what is required, the drugs problem has not gone away and will not go away. It is a case of trial and error, and if anyone has the total solution they should let us know what it is.

The point made in the paper produced by the advisory committee on drugs and the drugs strategy team is that many of the available services — there are up to 700 people working in the areas of prevention and treatment — were tailored to the heroin problem. There is a degree of truth in the assertion that many of the services are very opiate-focused. We need to adjust and tweak those, or set up new services to attract people with cocaine problems. This is the difficulty. As the Deputy has mentioned, cocaine use is not just happening in the traditional, disadvantaged areas; it is also being used in many middle class areas. It is difficult to get those people to avail of treatment. They are much slower to realise they have a problem. They think recreational cocaine use is for the film star set and no health difficulties are attached. This is entirely untrue. Cocaine is a very dangerous drug and can lead to mental and physical health problems, including heart attacks and strokes. It is difficult to get that through to people. Many people are reluctant to admit they are "druggies" and avail of services. It is similar to the problem with alcoholics. We could cope better and tailor services to people's needs if we could make them realise and admit they have a problem.

The young people's fund has provided many services such as facilities and youth workers. More than €120 million has been spent in this area, mainly in the Dublin suburbs, including Tallaght, in recent years. An allocation was also announced in recent weeks. They are providing an alternative and giving young people something else to do. At-risk teenagers are particularly targeted by these programmes. While much is being done, the problem is shifting from heroin use, where numbers have stabilised, to cocaine. However, they do not come forward so we are considering what services can be offered to convince them to cop on and realise they are building up a problem within themselves. Then we must provide the appropriate treatment.

The pilot project in Tallaght about which Deputy Crowe spoke is still being evaluated. Its funding will continue but it is very much a pilot project. We want to build on it, tweak it where necessary and get it to adhere to best practice before it becomes mainstream. Reports on the project are good and it may be replicated in other areas in the future. Its funding will continue until the evaluation is completed.

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