Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I have never been under any illusion in terms of the challenge of trying to keep ahead of the drugs issue. The situation is forever changing. There is a danger that we will chase after the latest headline. A couple of months ago that was head shops and we are now back to heroin and are speaking more of the need for rehabilitation, detox beds and so on. Merchant's Quay Ireland is to the forefront of organisations dealing with drug treatment. I applaud what it is doing here in the city. Anyone who would like to learn more about what it is doing in the area of treatment, rehabilitation and so on need only visit St. Francis Farm in Tullow, County Carlow, which provides a range of services in state of the art premises. I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle knows well the facility in Ballyragget in County Kilkenny, which provides services for the under 18s.

The former Governor of Mountjoy Prison, Mr. John Lonergan, is in his own way saying what everyone else has been saying for a long time. I do not agree with him that every place is awash with drugs although I accept there is a high level of usage of all substances be it alcohol, benzodiazepines, cocaine and so on. Programmes, whether inside or outside prison, must be in place to deter access to drugs, to keep people from using them and to rehabilitate those who are addicted to them.

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