Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I have tabled this Topical Issue matter because I want to discuss with the Minister of State the challenges faced by drugs task forces across the State as they prepare their multiannual strategic action plans. The official model we are using is outdated. It is based on a an opiate and heroin addiction policies and procedures model of 20 years ago and does not take into account or have sufficient understanding of today's challenges and the polydrug nature of today's drug users.

We would all accept that the drug problem has never been as bad as it is now. It is true to say that no town or village in Ireland does not have a drug problem. We do not seem to have any rural strategy on drugs.

I attended a drug task force meeting during the week, during which we were told that 679 people died from drug-related deaths in the State in 2015. The frustration expressed at the meeting was that if this happened in another area, such as road deaths, there would be uproar. We are not good at finding out how many people have died. In some cases, people die from toxicity or suicide rather than drug use.

The problem is much more overt nowadays. Many of those involved, such as runners, dealers, mules and those involved in intimidation are getting younger by the day. It is not surprising to see a ten year old child involved. There are no safe zones around schools, which are open territory, as is the Luas, bus routes, shopping centres, O'Connell Street and so on. In my constituency, An Garda Síochána Tallaght drugs unit comprised 31 people five years ago, but last year it was decreased to an all-time low of 16 members. The population is increasing, but the same level of services are in place and there is a large area to cover. The Tallaght drugs task force, of which I am a member, has seen its core funding slashed by successive Governments.

An added difficulty is that Departments, which are supposed to be part of the pillars of the drug strategy, including the Departments of Health, Education and Skills and Social Protection, do not attend meetings. In some cases, there is difficulty in getting representatives from the Garda or local authorities to attend. Different task forces have different problems.

Family support is supposed to be one of the pillars of the strategy, yet Tusla is not involved in discussions. The HSE attends many meetings, but again it depends on the task force. The issue involves more than one agency.

One of the gaps in the strategy is that those who should be involved in it are not sitting round table. Drugs task forces now include alcohol in their remit, but no extra resources are provided for this extra work. There is a difficulty with addiction services. There is a gap in the service in terms of councillors. For example, there is one councillor in Tallaght. Needle exchange programmes are in place, but some community-based programmes have been told that insurance costs have increased from €1,500 to between €7,000 and €11,000. That is totally unacceptable.

There is a policy of ignoring the problem. The problem exists, but we tend to ignore the difficulties. I ask the Minister of State to respond to some of the issues I have raised.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Crowe for raising the issue of the challenges faced by drug and alcohol task forces throughout the country. As the Deputy is aware, problem drug use continues to be one of the most significant challenges facing our country and it has become more complex than ever, with a wider range of drugs being abused. In line with the national drugs strategy, the Government is committed to continuing support for initiatives to tackle the drug problem.

I assure Deputy Crowe that every effort has been made to protect the budgets of drug and alcohol task forces in recent years. The overall allocation to drug and alcohol task forces for community based drugs initiatives this year is in excess of €27 million. This is the same overall level of funding allocated in 2015. It is a matter for task forces to ensure that the budget is effectively deployed to address current priorities and locally identified needs.

Following the 2011-12 review of drug task forces, increased responsibilities were given to task forces with regard to addressing the alcohol problem. In light of this expanded role, over €900,000 in additional funding has been made available to drug and alcohol task forces from the dormant accounts fund for substance misuse initiatives. These initiatives aim to promote healthier lifestyle choices throughout society with regard to alcohol by influencing and raising awareness of alcohol harm among the general population and specific risk groups. In addition, through the alcohol forum, training has been provided to a number of task forces in developing local alcohol action plans.

A key strength of the national drugs strategy is that it brings together the community, voluntary and statutory sectors to provide a collective response to the drugs problem. The task force model is a longstanding example of partnership in co-ordinating action at local level on substance misuse.

I am aware that there are many examples of excellent work being undertaken by many task forces across the country in addressing local drug problems. However, there is an onus on all task forces to play their part fully for the model to remain effective. In this regard, it is important that all statutory, community and voluntary stakeholders actively participate in the process.

I firmly believe that task forces should be clear on what is expected of them and that they should be given support to strengthen their capacity to meet the challenges ahead. With this in mind, the Department of Health has commissioned a performance measurement framework for task forces. This framework will provide a means of assessing the drugs situation in local communities so that task force resources can be more effectively targeted at underlying need. I am optimistic that this new framework will help task forces to strengthen their contribution to the new drugs strategy, which will come into force in 2017.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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We all accept that the problem is getting worse. It is to be seen throughout the country. The first issue is that there is no real strategy outside of task force areas. I mentioned that key players are not sitting around the table. That needs to be addressed at Government level. Those stakeholders should be encouraged or forced to attend the meeting.

There is positive work happening in communities, but I detect that people are tired and exhausted from the challenges they face. One of the new challenges that has emerged in recent years is that of drug intimidation, which is widespread. Children, adults and grandparents experience it. This needs to be addressed and supports need to be given to communities that find themselves in that situation.

There used to be additional funding provided to the task forces to address emerging needs but that funding is no longer available. We are, therefore, not adapting to the changing nature of the drug problem. Dual analysis is a further issue. Is it a mental difficulty or is it an addiction? There is a shortage of skilled people to define the condition.

The overt nature of the problem is the most frightening aspect to this. On Hallowe'en night, a local drug dealer in my area organised a fireworks display that would have cost €40,000. They are buying up shops and businesses. That is the nature of the problem.

The situation has changed. We do not see the Criminal Assets Bureau getting involved or attending drug task force meetings, so we do not get any sense of there being joined-up thinking on the proper approach to the problem.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I will take just two more seconds. Four minutes is not enough to discuss this issue. We need a proper debate. This affects every Deputy and every person in the country.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I agree with Deputy Crowe on a number of points. I am concerned about what is happening on the ground in terms of intimidation and the targeting of young people. They are being sucked into it and being made runners. Deputy Crowe is correct when he says they are as young as ten or 12 years of age. I have seen it myself. There are real issues on the ground that have to be addressed. I have plans to meet the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and members of An Garda Síochána on this issue, although it is not part of my remit, because it links in with drugs.

Deputy Crowe raised a number of funding issues. He is correct that there has been a reduction in funding. However, since 2014, 2015 and 2016, the funding in Deputy Crowe's area, in particular, in Tallaght has remained the same. There was a public consultation on a national drugs strategy with meetings held throughout the country, including in Cork, Limerick, Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin and Galway. There was a huge reaction and the response from the community sector, residents and all other stakeholders will form part of the national drugs strategy. I hope - indeed I tell the Deputy - it will be ready in January 2017.

I will be asking for multi-annual funding for the national drugs strategy. There are complications associated with drug addiction, methadone and so on. We have to take this issue seriously because it affects communities in every little town and village - even my own area - throughout the country. We have to put the proper structures in place to deal with it. I am willing to meet Deputies and Senators at any time to discuss any issue they may have and matters that it may be possible to incorporate in the national drugs strategy.