Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, and Deputy Ó Murchú for the good wishes on my recent appointment. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and myself, I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this serious matter.

I begin by strongly condemning the criminal damage by fire caused by the attack on the family on Sunday, 5 July, in Dundalk, County Louth, and the terrible distress for them and all members of the family due to the terrible danger in which they found themselves. It also caused distress to the local community. An Garda Síochána is conducting a full investigation of this matter. The Deputy will appreciate that as a result of that I am limited in what I can say in response to him. An Garda Síochána arrested four men last Monday, 13 July, in connection with the incident. The Minister understands that two of the men were released without charge and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The other individuals were charged with regard to separate matters and appeared in court yesterday, 14 July. The Minister appeals to anybody with information on this matter to contact An Garda Síochána at the incident room in Dundalk Garda station or by using the Garda confidential line.

We share the Deputy's concern about the serious issue of drugs crime as well as drug related intimidation in communities, which involves the targeting of persons who use drugs or their families or friends in respect of a drug debt. I appreciate that the threat of violence to enforce drug debt impacts people's lives and their communities. While the reality is that drug-related crime occurs nationwide, in many instances the communities most acutely affected are already marginalised and contending with other forms of criminality associated with the illicit drugs trade.

Government policy is guided by the national drugs strategy, which represents a whole-of-Government response to the scourge of drug and alcohol abuse in the country. Implementation of the strategy is led by my colleague, the Minister for Health, and the Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy and health promotion, although obviously the strategy includes a wide range of actions for all stakeholders, including the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána. There is a specific action in the national drugs strategy in respect of drug-related intimidation. An Garda Síochána, in partnership with the National Family Support Network, developed the drug-related intimidation reporting programme which is being implemented at national level since 2013 to respond to the needs of drug users and family members who may be subject to the threat of drug-related intimidation. Ireland's national drugs strategy is unique among national drugs strategies across EU member states in recognising the need to address drug-related debt intimidation at community level.

Recognising that the issue of drug use and drug-related crime in communities is a complex and multifaceted one, the Deputy might be interested to know about the Greentown project, a research project to examine the recruitment by criminal networks of children in Ireland and to make recommendations for interventions to disrupt children being lured into criminality.

The project is being led by the research evidence into policy programmes and practice project, REPPP, at the school of law in the University of Limerick. It is a strategic research partnership with the University of Limerick funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and supported by the Department of Justice and Equality.

I look forward to Deputy Ó Murchú's further contribution. I will provide further information in my closing response.

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