Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, has read the statement he was given but I take serious issue with the last paragraph that said "The Minister of State would point out that the introduction of measures to address drug related activity in the Drogheda area primarily come within the remit of our colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality in the first instance." I repeat that at my invitation the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, kindly visited Drogheda to discuss this issue, not once, not twice but three times. The outcome from those visits has been zero. Nothing has happened. I spoke to the Red Door project today. These are totally professional people who are committed to assisting and helping people in the community who suffer from drug abuse. The project has no family resource or outreach workers. That is a fact. Nothing but money from the Minister of State's Department will change this. I welcome that the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has said she has allocated €1 million for implementing Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery 2017-2025, but €1 million will not go anywhere near addressing the money that is needed. Drogheda needs to employ people as an emergency to go out and work with the families today and tomorrow.

According to Red Door, it could have these people in place within one month at a cost of approximately €200,000. If Red Door is provided with that funding it can address the issues immediately. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to pass on the message to the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, that we want action on the part of her Department. The Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, has committed in the past to examining this problem. There is no point in committing to examining a problem when the situation is exploding in our faces. There is no point in the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, coming here to deliver a response which does not provide us with something tangible to work with. What am I to tell my community? Am I to tell them that the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, was not present for the debate and that the reply delivered by the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, did not reference any additional money to deal with the biggest problem in this country and, in particular, in this community which suffers most? As a Member who has backed up all the decisions of this Government, I am angry that this community is being neglected in this area.

According to the Garda Chief Superintendent we are going to lose an entire generation of young people in this country due to drugs and drug abuse. He did not make that statement lightly. The Garda Chief Superintendent looked me in the face as he made those remarks. I now look to the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and ask what does this Government propose to do about this situation? People are entitled to an answer and young people are entitled to a future, which they are not getting in the current situation. The community in Moneymore, which is a fantastic community, has produced a report in regard to a community facility. I will provide the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, with a copy of that report, which I ask be brought to the attention of the Secretary General of her Department and taken on board. What does the Department propose to do? Its lack of action is unacceptable and the lack of funding is unacceptable. Families are crying out for help. I was told by one woman that two of her family members had to leave the country for fear of being shot if seen anywhere in the land. This is the extent of the problem. The Government must wake up and deal with this issue now.

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