Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent finding of the study undertaken on behalf of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs which found that one in 20 adults and one in ten young people had taken cocaine; his views on whether these findings reflect the continued widespread availability of this drug; the steps he is taking to reduce demand for cocaine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41021/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I launched bulletin 4 of the all-Ireland drug prevalence survey, focusing on cocaine, on behalf of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs last month and I am fully aware of its findings. This bulletin gives an in-depth analysis of cocaine use in the country and helps to deepen our understanding of such use.

While the findings that 5.3% of all adults aged 15 to 64 years and 8.2% of those aged 15 to 34 years had used cocaine are serious, it must be borne in mind that these figures are for lifetime use and therefore include many people who have only tried cocaine once or twice. Of more significant importance are the findings in respect of recent and current use, that is, those who had taken cocaine in the past year and past month. The figures for these two groups are 1.7% and 0.5% of the overall population, respectively. The corresponding figures for younger adults aged 15 to 34 years indicate that cocaine use is predominantly a younger adult phenomenon.

While the proportion of the population using cocaine on a regular basis is relatively small, there are clearly concerns about the health consequences for the people who are taking the drug and the criminal activity generated around the supply of cocaine and other drugs. At the same time, it is important to note that some findings of the survey are encouraging, particularly the numbers stopping their use of the drug and the increased recognition of the risks involved in taking cocaine. The percentage of those users who had stopped using cocaine increased from 62% in 2002-03 to 82% of all adults and 78% of those aged 15 to 34 years in 2006-07. In this regard "health reasons" was given as the most common cause for stopping. I hope this indicates that drugs awareness messages are beginning to hit home.

Tackling cocaine use is a priority for the Government and the implementation of the recommendations of the joint National Advisory Committee on Drugs-national drugs strategy team report, An Overview of Cocaine Use in Ireland, published in 2007, is an important part of the overall approach.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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The two key words associated with drug use are "supply" and "demand". As regards the former, the Garda, Army and Naval Service are to be complimented on their detection successes which have put drug barons under pressure. However, the Government's failure to decrease the level of demand for drugs is unacceptable and requires urgent action. I recall Deputies lauding the efforts of the Irish Examiner for highlighting the problem of drug use. The Government did not follow up on the newspaper's endeavours.

What will the Minister of State do to try to provide alternatives to drug use? His senior Minister admitted to me on a previous occasion that we must try to find alternatives to drug use. I am not aware of any action by the Department or the Minster of State, who I accept was appointed to office only recently, to provide alternatives.

In February 2008, a national public awareness campaign was launched entitled, The Party's Over. The figures before us do not suggest the party is over. The Minister of State must take action. What does he propose to do?

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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We do not view cocaine in isolation as it is associated with polydrug use with the result that people do not tend to have only a cocaine problem. The way to address the problem is through the national drug strategy, which has a number of key elements, including tackling the supply side, an issue to which the Deputy alluded. Another key element is prevention, education and awareness and our efforts in this area will continue.

It is interesting to note that while the report we are discussing indicated that cocaine use has increased in the age profile, this phenomenon is visible in most developed countries as they become affluent.

It was also very telling and worthwhile to note that those who had tried and used cocaine had given it up. That figure had also increased. The evidence for this is that they had given it up for health reasons. From that viewpoint, the campaigns in terms of education and awareness are working because people who are experimenting tend to stop using the drug.

It is important when looking at the prevalence figures not to over-concentrate on the life-time use because that includes anyone who might have used the drug once, but rather on the shorter period, such as usage in the last month or last year. Where those figures are smaller around the country, it is acknowledged that those who have used it have reduced significantly and are giving up the drug. The main reason for this is health issues and that would indicate that some of the programmes, policies, education and awareness campaigns are beginning to take effect, as indicated when the 2002-03 survey is compared to that for 2006-07.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Is the Minister of State not worried by the statement that the most prevalent access to the drug is through family members? If he says that health considerations are the most common reason for people giving up cocaine usage, is it not amazing that the most prevalent way of it moving on is through family members? Some 25% of people now know — as compared to 2003 when only 14% knew — of people who take cocaine. It has become a dominant factor in society because families are moving it along. Again, I ask what is being done in regard to that aspect.

The National Road Safety Authority has signage and other advertising, etc., but we do not seem to be doing that or following the NRSA's example in terms of reducing deaths on roads.