Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. As today is the first Question Time for the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey, I wish him the best of luck. I congratulate him on his appointment and look forward to working with him. He has arranged for a briefing for us by his Department, which I welcome. The Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, has agreed to do the same.

The Minister of State probably has the most important job in the country at present. We have a very serious drug problem. We are spending considerable resources without seeming to have the result. With regard to the money spent by the Department trying to address the drug problem, what targets have been set and how many of them have been met? A number of people have already contacted me who wished to get their sons or daughters on detoxification programmes. I am advised that only 25 beds are available, all of which are in Dublin. No places are available for people outside Dublin. If people reach the stage of being ready for detoxification it is not appropriate that they must wait 15 or 16 weeks for a bed. What will the Minister of State and the Department do to address this issue?

Considering the money that is spent how does the Department measure success and how is it measured internationally? Is the Department reaching the targets set in its programme? This is the most important problem facing society at present. Later I have a further question about drugs coming into the country.

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