Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I cannot see the Deputy in the hall. I will take what he says on board. As I said yesterday, my own view on drug and alcohol abuse where children and young people are concerned is that the most effective defence is the development of self-esteem and self-respect in children at the earliest age. Programmes designed to facilitate that are the most effective approach. That is what psychologists and the people involved say. Highlighting one particular drug does not tend to be effective in the long term. That said, I am happy to work with the Deputy to see what types of programmes can be pursued in local schools to address specific forms of substance abuse. There must be a community-based response to the emergence of drug abuse of this kind.

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