Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will report on Government plans to combat the worst case drugs scenario for the country, namely the establishment of a crack cocaine culture in Dublin city, following the revelations that Ireland now has the second highest rate of cocaine use in Europe and the recent highly publicised arrest of two crack cocaine importers. [5895/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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On the prevalence of cocaine use in Ireland, I believe the Deputy is referring to the figures recently reported by the Council of Europe. The figures quoted in this report are based on the UN World Drugs Report, which was released last year. These statistics are not based on the NACD-DAIRU drug prevalence survey, which is generally regarded as the most reliable baseline data on drug prevalence in Ireland. I am confident that through the implementation of the actions in the national drugs strategy and through projects and initiatives operated through the local drugs task force, the problem of cocaine use can be addressed. All the local drugs task forces have an action plan to tackle drug use in their area based on their own identified priorities and they continue to have regular contact with the local communities in which they are based. The projects deal with supply reduction, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for a range of drugs, including cocaine.

If cocaine use is seen as an emerging problem in local drugs task force communities, task forces can develop proposals and apply for funding under the emerging needs fund, which I announced last month. Task forces have been invited to submit applications to the national drugs strategy team for consideration by the end of March.

I have visited a number of local drugs task force areas over the past year. I have discussed the nature of the drug problem in such areas, including the issue of cocaine, with community representatives and others. Arising from work conducted by the national drugs strategy team on this issue, I recently approved funding of almost €400,000 for a number of pilot cocaine projects, which are being rolled out in selected task force areas. The Deputy is aware that one of the pilot projects is in the Tallaght area. It is being developed by the Killinarden community addiction response project in conjunction with St. Dominic's and is targeted at intranasal cocaine users. I will examine the outcome of the projects closely over the coming months.

The Deputy is aware that there is no substitution treatment drug for cocaine. Existing services such as counselling and behavioural therapy are the best treatments available. It should be noted that the health services have recruited additional counsellors and outreach workers in recent years. On the prevention side, the national awareness campaign on drugs recently addressed the issue of cocaine as part of a well-received campaign. The campaign aims to tackle the perception that cocaine use is safe.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The Garda and the Customs and Excise continue to target cocaine dealers and have significantly increased cocaine seizures in recent years. The mid-term review of the strategy, which is ongoing, will enable priorities for further action to be identified and the strategy to be refocused, if necessary, in the remaining period up to 2008. The need to amend the strategy to reflect changing patterns of drug use will be considered in this context.

I am sure the Deputy is aware that issues regarding supply reduction are primarily the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I understand there was just one confirmed seizure of crack cocaine in 2004 amounting to 2 g. One person is before the courts at present in respect of this offence. I assure the Deputy that the Government will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for his detailed reply. We could discuss the extent of this country's drugs problem for a couple of minutes, but I am sure the Minister of State is aware that no towns or villages are untouched by drugs, particularly the new drug, cocaine. Communities are worried that the State will be slow to respond to the cocaine problem, as it was during the heroin epidemic of recent years.

Has the Minister of State discussed the need for an awareness programme with IBEC and the trade union movement? There is evidence of a great deal of cocaine use in the construction industry. The lack of such an awareness campaign is part of the cocaine problem. Can the Minister of State make any proposals to assist the owners of pubs and clubs in which cocaine is sold? The sale of cocaine is widespread, particularly in working class areas but also in middle class areas. Can anything be done to prevent cisterns being used in clubs, for example? I am told that a type of paint that is being used——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question please, Deputy.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I would like to ask about the training of those involved in cocaine projects. For some reason, the Minister of State has asked the task force to identify such individuals. What were the reasons for that? Why were the projects not advertised? Will funding for emerging needs be used to help those already responding to cocaine use? Will we have to wait for up to six months until the projects mentioned by the Minister of State, including a project in my local area, have been evaluated? Will the evaluation be ongoing? How will it be worked out? How will it tie in with the work of the task force?

I understand that various projects are under way, for example relating to those who inject cocaine, those involved in the sex trade and poly-drug users. How were the four projects decided on? I note that they are mainly based in the Dublin area. There is a problem with——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have used almost six minutes on this question.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that cocaine use is a growing problem. That is why we introduced the four projects. I mentioned the one in the Deputy's area. All four projects are in Dublin and one of them concerns the training and upskilling of people in statutory employment and local drugs task forces to deal with what is a new and growing problem. Cocaine use does not show up much in overall national surveys, but I accept it is a significant issue. The pilot projects will continue to be such for six or nine months to determine whether they are good and valuable and whether they help people on the ground.

We announced the emerging needs fund and other projects that the local drugs task forces want to put forward in this regard. They will have the opportunity to do so. A very good awareness campaign was engaged in lately. It targeted nightclubs and pubs and tried through the use of beer mats to get the message through to people.

We are not being slow. Some complained we were moving too quickly. We are trying to move forward by way of partnership whereby all community groups involved will be with us. We have extra funding this year and have asked for suggestions regarding initiatives the groups want to implement locally. We are trying to act on this and I hope we can deal with the problem.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I understand Deputy McGinley is unavoidably absent and therefore we will proceed to Question No. 5 in the name of Deputy O'Shea.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I had proposed to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together anyway.