Dáil debates

Wednesday, 11 December 2019

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

 

12:35 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy makes a valid point that the report shows that only about 1% of people in these communities are involved in gangland crime. That is why we, I include myself, should not use the term "gangland" because 1% of a community is a very small minority and the term potentially demonises and casts aspersions on entire communities of which 99% of the people are hard working and law abiding. We should all avoid using that term and I ask the media to also avoid using it.

The Deputy is correct to say that the budgets for the drugs task forces were reduced until 2014 and have been held at that level since. This is something on which the Minister of State with responsibility for communities and the national drugs strategy, Deputy Catherine Byrne, is working at the moment. She has received some reports on reviews done into drugs task forces indicating that in some cases, there are problems with governance and in some cases, money has been spent on projects that are not about tackling drugs or alcohol addiction. We have concerns about that and need to ensure that we sort out those issues before we increase budgets again. The Deputy should look at those reports.

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