Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak about this pilot programme in the House. Much drug dealing takes place in public houses. Moreover, there is a great propensity for multi-drug use with alcohol consumption. Publicans have a legal responsibility to ensure that drugs are neither traded nor consumed on their premises.

Last Christmas the supply control committee of the Dublin north inner city drug task force, of which I am chairman, linked up with Store Street Garda station through the good offices of Inspector Gus Keane, a very active member of the supply control committee. Inspector Keane organised several meetings with the proprietors of public houses in the north inner city. We explained the need for publicans to ensure their premises were drug free. Large posters were produced, advertising the publicans' responsibilities and displaying dedicated telephone numbers with "dial to stop a drug dealer" emblazoned, for display in each public house. The Garda funded the cost of these posters. Large quantities of beer mats were made available for distribution on bars and tables in public houses.

The programme has been in operation for 12 months. There was originally a slow take-up, but it was very important that all publicans bought into the programme. They turned up in large numbers at the meetings. Anecdotal evidence suggests the initiative is providing encouragement to people to reject drug dealing and refrain from drug consumption in public houses in the area. Publicans have signs prominently displayed. They are happy with the initiative, happy to participate, and they feel reassured by their ability to demonstrate they are actively implementing the law by preventing drug dealing and drug consumption on their premises. It is reassuring for them to have these signs prominently on display and to have corresponding beer mats on the tables.

This is a practical initiative that adds to the curtailment of the activities of drug pushers. If it was rolled out nationwide, it would make a valuable contribution to the fight against drug abuse. I call on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to take steps to mainstream the "dial to stop a drug dealer" programme as quickly as possible. If the programme were successfully established on a wide basis, it could be extended to other retail outlets in community areas such as off-licences and shops. There could be bus stop advertising too and we could begin the process of creating drug free zones where a premises would have on display material stating it is drug free — steps to ensure this have been taken.

This is a practical initiative which, in so far as it has been operational, demonstrates that it has good effect. It is not a very expensive programme and requires no extra personnel or staffing. Costs would be limited to the necessary materials. The steps involved are to organise several meetings, explain what is intended, explain the law and get the programme operational.

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I reply on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern. I thank Deputy Costello for raising this matter. The Government very much welcomes and wholeheartedly supports this initiative taken by the Garda Síochána in its introduction of the "dial to stop drug dealing" project in the Garda Dublin north central division and the similar initiative on which it was based, which was led by the Blanchardstown local drug task force in its area during 2006.

Before getting into the detail of the Government's specific proposals, which will now further assist the development of such initiatives, I would like, on behalf of the Minister, to first set out the context in which this work needs to take place. First, all of us in this House are well aware that the issue of drug misuse remains one of the most pressing social problems facing us. It is, sadly, a problem experienced globally for which there is no quick and easy solution.

Given the severe harmful and destructive consequences brought about by drug abuse at individual, family and community levels, it is undoubtedly an issue on which we as a society must continue to collectively maintain a keen focus and urgency in addressing. As the Minister and many of my other Government colleagues have stated previously, the focus in our jurisdiction must be to strive constantly to ensure that the measures and policies we have in place to address the problem are appropriate and flexible enough to be able to respond to what is a global and dynamic issue.

As the House will, I am sure, appreciate, the remit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform under the national drugs strategy is primarily, although not exclusively, in the area of drug supply reduction and drug law enforcement remains a key feature of the Government's drug policy framework. It follows that the "dial to stop drug dealing" initiatives which have emerged recently are of such particular interest to my colleague the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern.

An Garda Síochána retains primary responsibility in this regard and it will continue with the Government's full support to invoke vigorously the range of broad strategic responses it has in place to address the issue. However, any assistance which can be provided to the Garda by the public in tackling the crime of drug dealing is to be welcomed and fully encouraged.

"Dial to stop drug dealing" campaigns offer a real opportunity to deliver the integrated action to which I referred to earlier in a very pragmatic way. The Minister understands that the campaigns in Blanchardstown and Dublin's north inner city are deemed to have been successful local initiatives with feedback on their operation from the local drug task forces there, An Garda Síochána and the local community all of a supportive nature. An Garda Síochána has reported that the information generated in some of the reports made to the confidential numbers have been particularly helpful in terms of identifying new dealers, confirming existing suspicions and generally assisting police intelligence on local drug dealing activity. The campaigns have directly led to a number of arrests for drug dealing in the local areas.

The Minister also understands that during the formal evaluation of the Blanchardstown model, the gardaí in the local area particularly welcomed the sense of an increased co-operative approach between An Garda Síochána and the local community to tackling drug dealing in the area, which the campaign there appears to have generated. All of this is very positive and I am pleased to advise the House that following the success of these initiatives, the national drugs strategy team in conjunction with An Garda Síochána is currently finalising proposals to begin a national roll-out of this programme this year in conjunction with the 14 local and ten regional drug task forces.

To facilitate this, an allocation of €300,000 has been secured from dormant assets funds to proceed with this programme. On behalf of the Minister, I am pleased also to advise the House that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is also providing additional funding of €50,000 to support this initiative. The Minister understands that the national drugs strategy team anticipates that the roll-out of this programme nationally will begin this autumn. The Minister looks forward to the implementation of this programme and he will continue to support it in every way he can.