Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Crowe on a number of points. I am concerned about what is happening on the ground in terms of intimidation and the targeting of young people. They are being sucked into it and being made runners. Deputy Crowe is correct when he says they are as young as ten or 12 years of age. I have seen it myself. There are real issues on the ground that have to be addressed. I have plans to meet the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and members of An Garda Síochána on this issue, although it is not part of my remit, because it links in with drugs.

Deputy Crowe raised a number of funding issues. He is correct that there has been a reduction in funding. However, since 2014, 2015 and 2016, the funding in Deputy Crowe's area, in particular, in Tallaght has remained the same. There was a public consultation on a national drugs strategy with meetings held throughout the country, including in Cork, Limerick, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin and Galway. There was a huge reaction and the response from the community sector, residents and all other stakeholders will form part of the national drugs strategy. I hope - indeed I tell the Deputy - it will be ready in January 2017.

I will be asking for multi-annual funding for the national drugs strategy. There are complications associated with drug addiction, methadone and so on. We have to take this issue seriously because it affects communities in every little town and village - even my own area - throughout the country. We have to put the proper structures in place to deal with it. I am willing to meet Deputies and Senators at any time to discuss any issue they may have and matters that it may be possible to incorporate in the national drugs strategy.

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