Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy is correct that the figures provided in this report are out of date. However, data available in the national drug treatment reporting system show that in 2008, 775 cases were reported for treatment where cocaine was indicated as the chief drug dependency, five more than in 2007. During the Celtic tiger years, there is no doubt that cocaine became a recreational drug for many people who would not normally be part of the drugs scene. The Deputy will be well aware from her own constituency of the problems that arise from addiction to cocaine.

The Government has put considerable resources into enforcement of the law, and hardly a day goes by that the Garda does not intercept a drug shipment. As I said, we are part of the MAOC-N project, at a cost of €70,000, and have several officials in Lisbon. We are part of the maritime operation there in collaboration with other countries, and it has been very successful in stopping large shipments of drugs, including cocaine, coming into this and other countries on the western side of Europe. It is interesting that the data from this report indicate that cocaine usage is far greater on the western side. Perhaps it is to do with proximity to the sea and Latin America. The other reason may be the relatively greater affluence of countries on the western side of Europe as compared with the eastern side.

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