Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I appreciate this is the response the Minister of State received but our information flatly contradicts what has been said. At no stage was CASPr involved in a consultation procedure. I believe Citywide, a very fine group, is being cited because it was perhaps the only group engaged on this matter. If it is the case that the nine points have not been changed, how is it that a scheme which enjoyed T-status is no longer ring-fenced? How did that happen?

There are 1,000 allocated places for citizens in recovery from drug use, but we are not entirely clear whether all of these 1,000 places are being taken up. We are also mindful that prevention and preventive intervention are critical across the State but particularly so in the north inner city in keeping younger people - the under 25s, most particularly men in that age group - away from all of the potential hazards and a life of misery caused by drug misuse.

While I appreciate the Minister of State's response, it is inaccurate, although I reiterate that I do not lay the blame at her feet. We need to have this matter sorted out. Times are tough but by penny-pinching in this way, as demonstrated in CASPr, we will build a much bigger bill in terms of the cost to the Exchequer but also in terms of human misery. I, therefore, ask the Minister of State to investigate this issue on a cross-party basis.

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