Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Curran, on his appointment and wish him well in his new portfolio, which is a very challenging one. I am sure he will approach it in his own capable way.

The matter in hand came to light through an excellent programme from the TV3 series, "Undercover Ireland" by Brian O'Donovan and subsequent articles in the Irish Independent and the Sunday Independent. As I understand it, there are two pillars under which drugs were to be challenged; one being a reduction in supply, with the second pillar relating to reducing the demand. The Garda is finding it difficult to tackle the first pillar but I congratulate it on the efforts it is making. The Government is failing badly in terms of creating greater awareness of drug use. We are not using the various groups of people that are available to help us to highlight the threat of drugs. Cocaine use has doubled since 2003 and one in four Irish adults takes drugs. The reality is that we are not winning the war on drugs and all the media messages we get tell us that. My contention is that we are not using the existing facilities and the people who can help to the best advantage. When or how will the Minister of State address the matter? Will he use all the national sporting organisations, local authorities and housing agencies to work together to highlight the drugs problem? Everything I see in the media currently contradicts the Minister of State's assertion that we are winning the war.

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