John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

Against the background of the formulation of a new national drugs strategy for the period from 2009 to 2016, I have an open mind, at this stage, on a combined approach to tackling the problems associated with drugs and alcohol. However, I favour exploiting the potential for synergies that exist in our current approaches. In considering the five pillars of the national drugs strategy, it is clear there are considerable existing and potential synergies in the approach to drugs and alcohol across the areas of prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. Given that alcohol is a legal and regulated substance, the potential for synergies in the supply reduction area is, as the Deputy will appreciate, more limited.

It is clear to me as a public representative, as Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy and as a father that people are increasingly exercised about the issue of alcohol use, and rightly so. I am sure the Deputy is all too familiar with issues such as under-age drinking, binge drinking leading to potential public order problems and the levels of excessive drinking generally with the resultant health problems. Alcohol is also seen as a gateway to the use of illicit drugs.

As the Deputy will be aware, a steering group was established earlier this year to develop proposals and to make recommendations to me on a new national strategy. The group, which is chaired by my Department, is conducting extensive consultations in this regard. Public meetings at 15 locations were held as part of the consultations and I attended the last three, following my appointment. At these meetings the question was posed as to whether synergies between alcohol and drugs policies can be improved, and whether a single substance misuse strategy is now appropriate in Ireland. Generally the response favoured developing the potential for greater synergies as much as possible, with mixed views on whether there should be a fully combined substance misuse strategy. However, the emphasis of attendees was on the need for a more co-ordinated approach, recognising the close links between the problems associated with drugs and alcohol, rather than on the details of the organisational and governance arrangements that might be put in place.

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My Department is also represented on the working group on alcohol and drugs which is chaired by the Department of Health and Children, and I am aware of its deliberations to date. I hope to receive the recommendations of this working group in the autumn at a stage when they can be considered in the context of the finalisation of proposals for a new national drugs strategy. Furthermore, my officials and I will meet the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Mary Wallace, next week to discuss the broad issues around the future approach to problems associated with alcohol and illicit drugs. I am committed to developing the optimum approach to tackling the problems of substance abuse in the coming years and any strategies to be put in place will be aimed at achieving this.

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