John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

The Government is firmly committed to tackling the problem of drug misuse in society. This is evidenced by the fact that the funding targeted at community-based initiatives funded through my Department's Vote doubled from 2003 to 2008, increasing from €31.5 million to more than €64 million. The relative reduction in the 2009 funding allocation to my Department for the drugs initiatives must, therefore, be viewed in this context.

In 2008, the budget for community-based initiatives in the local and regional drugs task force areas was nearly €34.8 million. Funding for 2009 will be approximately €34.6 million, of which more than €23 million is being allocated to the local drugs task forces while more than €11 million is being earmarked for the regional groups.

Unfortunately, no area is impervious to cost cutting measures in the current economic environment. It is in this context that all drugs task forces were asked to identify savings across their areas of responsibility. While I appreciate that this will involve some difficult choices being made, it was a matter for the drugs task forces to identify measures to enable them to work within their allocated budgets.

Across Government, we are taking a number of difficult decisions, but our approach is to do it in as balanced a way as possible. There is a critical need to ensure that resources are directed in a targeted and effective manner and that the maximum benefit is achieved. I would like to assure the Deputy that my primary concern has been and continues to be the protection of front line services delivering vital programmes and initiatives in areas worst affected by problem drug use.

Projects have been approved funding for the first six months of 2009 and this expenditure will be reviewed before allocating the remaining six months' funding. We will continue to work with the task forces to ensure that this funding is targeted in the most appropriate manner. I am confident that the funding in 2009 will continue to facilitate the delivery of meaningful and viable community-based initiatives to address problem drug use.

As the Deputy is aware, the drugs strategy is based on a co-ordinated approach across many Departments and agencies. My Department's allocation is part of a much larger investment programme in drugs services by these other bodies. In 2007, it was estimated that total expenditure on drugs programmes was over €230 million. The figures for 2008 are currently being compiled.

See this speech in context