Results 781-800 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran

Early School Leavers. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: During the consultative phase for the new national drugs strategy, I, along with members of the steering group, met representatives of the Department of Education and Science to discuss the issue of early school leaving. That Department is also represented on the steering group charged with developing the new strategy and will be centrally involved in the group's deliberations with regard to...

Early School Leavers. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I agree with the Deputy that early school leaving correlates to those who engage in drug taking, as has been clearly demonstrated. While one can argue figures in whatever way one likes, in recent years on a national level most of the figures indicate that participation rates in second level education in particular have improved. I do not want to go into them in great detail. While that...

Early School Leavers. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I agree with the Deputy that activity for young people is very important. Very many sports facilities have been created under the sports capital programme in recent years. In other areas we have the young people's facilities and services fund providing additional facilities. If I have seen a weakness at all, it is as follows. In recent years we have provided a considerable amount of...

Early School Leavers. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: The Deputy's final question is probably the most unusual way to ask for my resignation.

Early School Leavers. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: It would be very difficult for the national drugs strategy to fall under the remit of any one Department. We talk about health, rehabilitation and treatment, which is one very clear area. Earlier I answered a question on providing additional recreational and sporting facilities. It is specifically because of its diverse nature that we need somebody co-ordinating it rather than having one...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: The Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched last week on 30 September. The initiative involves a number of local and regional campaigns, which will be run through the mechanism of the local and regional drugs task forces. The campaigns are being designed to encourage people to provide any information they may have on drug dealing — anonymously if required — through a...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I assure the Deputy the security of the caller is absolutely paramount and that is why the system is organised so that a call from a member of the public goes directly to an independent call centre and not the Garda Síochána. Callers do not have to furnish their names or addresses nor do they have to disclose their identity. Reports will be drawn up by the call centre and they will be...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: This is a national scheme given the pilot scheme was undertaken previously. The scheme will run for approximately nine months and this is the first of three phases. One of the reasons it is being rolled out in phases is to prevent a situation where, if the floodgates open, the Garda could be unable to deal with the number of calls. However, this is a national scheme, which will be...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I have not met with the Department of Health and Children to specifically discuss the reports of methadone being implicated in the deaths of drug users. However, I chair the Inter-Departmental Group on Drugs (IDG), which meets quarterly and on which both the Department of Health & Children and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are represented. All matters relevant to the implementation of...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector: Voluntary Sector (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: My Department is committed to the ongoing development of supports to strengthen and underpin the work of the community and voluntary sector in Ireland. Indeed, the growth of the sector in recent years has been accompanied by a significant expansion of supports by Government. My Department alone provides funding in excess of €400m annually to the groups and measures across the sector....

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: Under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, which targets 10-21 year olds at risk of drug misuse, a broad range of activities and initiatives are being supported. As the Deputy is aware, the Fund has a strong prevention focus and its aim is to attract young people in disadvantaged areas into facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance misuse. Of...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: As the Deputy outlines, I recently announced funding of almost €2m for nearly 30 projects aimed at addressing cocaine use and supporting rehabilitation. This follows a call for proposals earlier this year to Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. Tackling cocaine use and implementing the recommendations of the Report of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation remain priorities for...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: While I am aware of the recent seizure of crystal methamphetamine, historically in Ireland, there have been low levels of seizures in relation to that substance. Indeed, despite its popularity in some central and eastern European countries, across the EU generally, the drug has never taken off in terms of demand. Notwithstanding this, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) -through...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: The Report of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation, published in May 2007, made a series of recommendations for the development of a comprehensive rehabilitation pillar under the National Drugs Strategy. As agreed by the Working Group, the HSE has the lead role in this area. With regard to the appointment of the Senior Rehabilitation Co-ordinator, I understand that following recent...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: Consistent with the Taoiseach's announcement in May this year, my Department is currently progressing an Order to transfer the functions and duties relating to the Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund (YPFSF) to the Office of the Minister for Youth Affairs and Children. While I anticipate that the Order will be made quite shortly, it is likely that the formal transfer will take effect in...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153, 333 and 335 together. As the Deputies 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. Projects are submitted through Drugs Task Forces to the National Drugs Strategy Team who make recommendations to myself, as Minister with...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: Initiatives to tackle substance misuse in the south east are co-ordinated by the South Eastern Regional Drugs Task Force (SERDTF) which covers the counties of Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary South and Waterford. The SERDTF co-ordinates a number of activities covering the areas of treatment, rehabilitation, education, prevention and research and, to date, approximately €4m has been...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: The Community Support for Older People Scheme is managed by my Department and is administered locally by community and voluntary groups. The Scheme provides grants to support the installation of socially monitored personal alarms, smoke alarms, external lighting and essential items of physical security such as window and door locks and door chains. Interior emergency lighting is funded for...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: As the Deputy may be aware, there are 14 Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF) areas — 12 are located in Dublin, one in Cork City and one in Bray, Co. Wicklow. There are almost 400 people employed — both full and part-time — in a wide range of projects across the 14 LDTFs. These workers include addiction counsellors, outreach workers, project managers and co-ordinators, family support workers,...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: Research by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) has showed that illegal drug use is a youth phenomenon in particular. It is important, therefore, to understand that many factors come into play when people decide to experiment with drugs. The risk factors associated with problematic drug use have been researched by the NACD and include the following: Early school leaving/poor...