Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I am replying this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to outline the Department's involvement with these projects and its ongoing contribution to the implementation of the national drugs strategy.

Currently, the Department provides funding for 38 projects in local drugs task force areas, including those projects specifically referred to by the Deputy. These projects, through a variety of programmes and activities, seek, in the main, to encourage young people not to engage in drug-taking. The Department originally took on responsibility for funding these projects through a mainstreaming process whereby projects on interim funding were assigned to a number of Departments and State agencies.

Some 35 of the projects are administered by the three VECs - Dublin City, Dublin County and Dun Laoghaire - while the remaining three projects are funded directly by the Department. In the main, the projects provide for the employment of youth workers and project leaders, the delivery of peer education in a drug education context and initiatives aimed at retaining and supporting children in first and second level education and the prevention of early school leaving. In addition, a number of projects provide support for the delivery of the substance misuse module of the social, personal and health education curriculum in schools.

Some 22 of the projects are administered by the City of Dublin Youth Services Board under the aegis of the City of Dublin VEC, including Sphere 17. Ten of the projects are administered by County Dublin VEC and three projects are administered by Dun Laoghaire VEC. The remaining three projects are administered directly by the Department, one of which is RASP, the rehabilitation and support programme.

Arising from the budget of 2010, it was decided that funding for these projects was to be reduced from €3,643,000 in 2009 to €2,461,000 in 2010 and to cease from 2011. The Minister acknowledges the difficulties arising for projects and the Department is currently reviewing the implications of this decision for the individual projects concerned. The review, which involves a detailed examination of all 38 projects, has not yet been completed.

The Minister would like to reassure the House that within the resources at his disposal, 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 introduction of a social, personal and health education curriculum at primary level and at junior cycle in second level, the initiatives under the delivering equality of opportunity in schools 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 level. The implementation of these programmes in schools is supported by full-time support services at primary and second levels, 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, 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 for the projects in local drugs task force areas funded by the Department. In that regard, he anticipates that the examination of the projects, in the context of reviewing the implications of the decisions taken on funding for 2010 and 2011, will be completed shortly. The Minister wants to thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

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