John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

The programme in question showed instances of the availability of drugs in a number of locations, indicating a level of demand for these drugs. However, I do not think it produced evidence of any new issues that we are not already aware of and that we are not currently working to address through the national drugs strategy.

In terms of robust evidence of the drug situation in Ireland, I would place much greater emphasis on the results of the All-Island Drug Prevalence Surveys, carried out in 2002-03 and 2006-07 by the national advisory committee on drugs, NACD, in conjunction with its colleagues in Northern Ireland. Comparisons between the two surveys indicate that the drug problem facing the country is changing to a degree.

Evidence from the first bulletin of the 2006-07 prevalence survey, launched in February 2008, indicates that while rates of lifetime and recent, last year, overall illegal drug misuse have increased, the level of current illegal drug use has stabilised. Bulletin 2 of the survey, which I launched yesterday, indicates there are variations between the different regions of the country, with prevalence rates tending to be higher across all age groups in the east, roughly from Dundalk to Cork.

The increase in lifetime use for all drugs was expected given that older people tend to have less exposure to and usage of drugs over their lifetimes and that illegal drug use is primarily a youth or younger adult phenomenon. Lifetime prevalence rates are likely to increase for a considerable period of time as older people, who have never encountered drugs, exit the survey cohort on reaching 65 years of age and are replaced by teenagers coming into the survey age range. The increase in last year use is of more concern and it emphasises the challenging task we continue to face in tackling problem drug use. Meanwhile, the overall stabilisation in last month use is to be welcomed and I am hopeful that, with the continuing valuable work being done through the national drugs strategy, this trend will continue.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

With respect to the suggested ease of availability, I emphasise that the Garda and the customs service of the Revenue Commissioners, as acknowledged in the programme, have been very successful in recent times in regard to the numbers of seizures they are making, the quantity of drugs being seized and number of convictions being obtained. This is reflected, for example, in the 125 kg of heroin seized last year by the Garda with seizures at a similar level continuing this year. Both these services are using an intelligence-led approach to interrupt supply.

I fully accept that our approach to tackling the drug problem must involve a combination of demand reduction and supply reduction measures. Our focus in terms of demand reduction is primarily on the areas of treatment, rehabilitation and prevention. It is clear from the research outcome study in Ireland, ROSIE, carried out by the NACD, that treatment has a direct impact on demand for drugs with a significant reduction in the usage of drugs reported by those entering and staying engaged in treatment. Overall numbers in treatment now stand at approximately 12,700, with 8,600 of those in receipt of methadone. Successful engagement with treatment not only has significant benefits for the individual but also for their families, their wider communities and for society at large. Meanwhile, we are progressing the implementation of the recommendations of the working group on drugs rehabilitation and I envisage significant progress in that regard in the coming years.

As regards prevention, the national drugs strategy has focused in particular on education initiatives such as Walk Tall and the social personal health programme, SPHE, which are now in place in all schools, at primary and second level. Last February, the HSE launched a new national drugs awareness campaign focused on cocaine. In this context, I am also now making funding of €500,000 available for awareness initiatives at drug task force level to dovetail with the campaign at national level. This initiative will augment the many existing drug task force projects that are focused on prevention. Furthermore, around €20 million in current and capital funding will be provided this year under the young people's facilities and services fund, which aims to divert ten to 21 year olds away from involvement with drugs.

Finally, as the Deputy is aware, the new national drugs strategy, which is being formulated for the period 2009-16, will continue to combine supply reduction and demand reduction measures, with the aim of achieving the optimum balance. I envisage that the new strategy will have a significant emphasis on prevention, combined with treatment and rehabilitation measures to aid those already involved with drugs. At the same time, the drugs problem is a global issue and there will always be a need to continue to have a focus on supply reduction.

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