Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I recognise we are in very tough economic times and that difficult budgetary decisions have to be made. I am not laying all the blame for this at the feet of the Minister of State, because there have been reductions in funding to the Cork local drugs task force since 2008 and it is not the sole responsibility of this Government. In those years there has been a steady decrease in the level of service provision, which is inevitable if money is taken from an entity such as the Cork local drugs task force which funds 21 projects in the city and county which are doing sterling work. In some cases very tough decisions made at local level have resulted in the reduction of funding to some local projects which has had a very detrimental impact on that local community. Staff with experience and expertise have been let go because the money is not available. Is it the co-ordinators of the local drugs task forces whom the Minister of State is meeting tomorrow?

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