Results 25,261-25,280 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department operates a range of schemes programmes and measures supporting the development of communities. The sources of funding for them are the Exchequer, the EU and the Dormant Accounts Fund and their operation and funding is being delivered in line with the current Programme for Government. Details of these and my Department's intended expenditure in 2008...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 to 145, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, the majority of expenditure allocated to community groups through my Department for drugs initiatives is channelled through the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs). The areas covered by the Drugs Task Forces are detailed below. Projects are submitted through Drug Task Forces to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question 145 of 14th February 2008. The CLÁR Programme is a targeted investment programme for rural areas, which was launched in October 2001. My Department officials are in discussions with various Government Departments, State Agencies and other interested parties in relation to new measures on an ongoing basis. The development of CLÁR will be kept...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: My Department received four applications for grant aid from voluntary organisations throughout County Kildare for the provision, upgrading or development of community-based facilities such as theatres, or community halls to facilitate local productions. The applications were submitted under the Programme of Grants for Locally Based Community and Voluntary Organisations, in the years 2006,...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The RAPID Programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within 46 designated RAPID areas nationally. As I have indicated to the House on a number of occasions, it is a matter for individual Departments to report progress under the RAPID programme. I initiated the RAPID leverage schemes in 2004 in order to...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, axes 3 and 4 of which provide €425 million for LEADER type activities. This represents an allocation of almost treble the €150 million available for the 2000-2006 period. Although provision has been made for expenditure of €16 million across the full range of measures in 2008, the Programme will operate...

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am aware of the report of the Health Service Executive working group on residential treatment and rehabilitation. My Department was represented on the working group and I welcome the recommendations therein. The HSE appointed the group to provide a detailed analysis and overview of known current residential treatment services and to advise on the future residential requirements of those...

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: We will continue to work with the HSE, which is the health authority with responsibility for this matter. Extra beds are being provided but more are needed. Whereas alcohol is a serious drug and one that is highly abused, it does not come under the drug strategy of my Department. Whether one can separate the problem of alcohol from opiate abuse is an issue we have debated many times in the...

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Regarding alcohol misuse, we are having a series of public meetings. I attended the meeting in Sligo for a very short time but I will attend the meeting in Portlaoise. Alcohol and opiates are on a continuum and cannot be separated. We must examine the issue and are not at the conclusion stage because the meetings are still going on. They are being done on a round table basis to encourage...

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: We are going into HSE business.

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: That is the problem. All we can do is keep working at the problem. I do not know if we have all the answers but we will continue to liaise with the HSE to move the process forward.

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 40 together. Officials in my Department, along with members of the steering group established to develop proposals for a new national drugs strategy are currently undertaking an extensive consultation process in regard to the new strategy. This involves 15 public consultation meetings, meetings with the various Departments and Government agencies...

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I could not agree more with the thrust of Deputy Wall's contribution. The diversion of young people into all types of activities is probably the best way of protecting ourselves against drugs. I cannot say whether the organisations referred to have attended the meetings. Under the RAPID process, which includes the 46 areas most deprived and engaged in drug abuse, I have been actively...

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy can rest assured I will continue to focus on this issue through the RAPID programmes rather than the meetings.

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The programme will run from 2009 to 2016. I believe it makes sense to ask people what they want.

National Drugs Strategy. (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There is much more to this than detox beds. Deputy Wall put his finger on it when he said the real answer is diversion. We must treat those who have a problem with drugs and examine how we can keep young people away from drugs. The work we are doing is incredibly important. We must reduce demand and divert people away from drugs. As in other areas of life, we often focus on curing rather...

Priority Questions (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: On a point of information——

Priority Questions (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Before we take the question——

Priority Questions (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Could the Leas Cheann-Comhairle provide me with a little indulgence on this matter? If I were Deputy Ring I might be disconcerted if I did not understand exactly what happened. The questions were not ruled out of order. There was a question on European fisheries which is the sole——

Priority Questions (15 May 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I do not. That is where Deputy Ring is wrong.