Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an ábhar tábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála. I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

I thank Deputy Noel Ahern for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to outline to the House the involvement of the Department of Education and Science with these projects and its ongoing contribution to the implementation of the national drugs strategy. Some 22 of the projects are administered by the City of Dublin Youth Services Board under the aegis of the City of Dublin VEC. Ten of the projects are administered by County Dublin VEC and three projects are administered by Dún Laoghaire VEC. The remaining three projects are administered directly by the Department.

In the current financial year, the Department has provided a total of €3.643 million for these projects. Of this amount, the allocation for the six projects in Ballymun amounted to €712,000 and the allocation for the two projects in the Finglas-Cabra area amounted to €312,000. Overall, in the four years 2005 to 2008, the Department provided a total allocation of over €14 million for all the projects. The allocation for 2010 for the projects in local drugs task force areas has been reduced by €1.182 million to €2.641 million. The Minister has also indicated that funding for the projects will cease with effect from 2011.

The Minister wants to reassure the House that he remains fully committed to implementing the national drugs strategy. In that regard, he wants to place on record the significant contribution the Department has made, and continues to make, in support of the prevention pillar of the strategy, through the following initiatives: the introduction of a social, personal and health education, or SPHE, curriculum at primary level and at junior cycle, second-level; the initiatives under delivering equality of opportunity in schools, or DEIS action plan and the school support programme to prevent early school leaving and achieve better educational outcomes for students; and the guidelines on substance use policies issued to all schools.

The SPHE programme is the foundation for developing awareness of drugs and alcohol issues in schools. It is a mandatory part of the curriculum at primary and junior cycle in second level. The substance use modules of SPHE are augmented by two support programmes, the Walk Tall programme at primary level and On My Own Two Feet at post-primary. The implementation of these programmes in schools is supported by full-time support services at primary and second level, which provide professional development for teachers and advice and support to schools. The DEIS action plan for educational inclusion is aimed at identifying and tackling levels of disadvantage and it provides the basis for school supports to, among others, schools located in local drugs task force areas. Supports targeting children most at risk of leaving school early are currently being enhanced through the integration of the relevant services, that is, the school completion programme, the home-school community liaison and the visiting teacher service for Travellers, under the National Educational Welfare Board. Through the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Government is continuing to support initiatives for youth, such as the young people's facilities and services fund, which aims to divert young people away from the dangers of substance abuse and the special projects for youth scheme, which supports out-of-school projects for disadvantaged young people.

The Minister acknowledges the difficulties which the budget announcement will entail for the projects the Department has been supporting over the years, but he wants to assure the House that his commitment to the implementation of the national drugs strategy through the measures outlined is undiminished.

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