John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government features a section entitled "Giving Vulnerable Young People the Best Chance in Life" which states, "The new Partnership Government has an opportunity to change our approach from expensive reactive interventions to proactive supports". It notes that prevention "will also help to alleviate pressure on our vital public services". Underpinning this, the document states the Government supports the expansion of local drugs task force projects. Those involved in these projects have informed me they are struggling to maintain existing services. I reviewed the expenditure on local drugs task force projects and found that it stood at €29.5 million in 2012 and €28.2 million in 2013. In each of the past four years, however, expenditure has stood at €27.648 million.

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I accept that there have been economic challenges, but at a time when the economy is beginning to recover, there is no sign of recovery in the funding for task force projects. They have the potential to be proactive in terms of prevention while offering value for money, but there is no indication that these vulnerable people are seeing an increase in expenditure or activity in this regard. Does the Taoiseach still stand over that commitment?

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