Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Already in education and community needs there is the rehabilitation for drug misusers, which has become a central part of focus in education. There is a range of available treatments, particularly now the treatment options for cocaine, which is a major problem in some communities. There are the needle exchange programmes, the reduction services, the emerging needs fund that was devised to provide a flexible and community level response regarding drug misuse, and the local drugs task force, which is a very good scheme and is used very effectively. There are now more than 65 community-based projects being funded under the emerging needs fund, which are nearly all helping young people — they are not in schools, but in communities surrounding schools. There is the drugs awareness programme — the initiative by Crosscare — which is partly funded by the Government. It provides invaluable contacts and covers addiction counselling and treatment support around the State. Again it is focused very much on young people of school going age.

There is the health promotion unit, which already publishes a guide for parents on understanding drugs, which is the document the support programme of the Department of Education and Science uses. It is freely available and is accessible on the Internet. It is used by boards of management and schools around the country. It is a good programme. I cannot comment if some private schools are using it. The concept of anything that helps to eliminate and control drugs is one I support.

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