Results 921-940 of 2,551 for speaker:Pat Carey

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (26 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: Among the priority measures approved by Government for assistance from dormant accounts in 2007 is one providing up to €2 million for small-scale equipment grants for youth groups. This repeats the 2006 funding measure, administered through the VECs, which supported almost 1,450 youth clubs and groups throughout the country. The Department of Education and Science is the lead department...

National Drugs Strategy. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: I thank Deputy Ring for tabling this priority question and I take the opportunity to congratulate him on his appointment. I look forward to working with him. I also congratulate Deputy Wall and look forward to working with him also for whatever period we are together. The National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 has achieved considerable success across a range of areas in reducing the hardship...

National Drugs Strategy. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: I agree this task is one of the most challenging there is. Having spent the past three months meeting local drugs task forces and some regional drugs task forces, I am very impressed by the range of work being carried out at local level by the community and voluntary sector and by the statutory sector. In regard to the amount spent, I can provide the Deputy with a detailed breakdown. In...

National Drugs Strategy. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: Advertising is part of the national drugs strategy. We have a number of pilot projects, in particular, one in the Blanchardstown area where there is a freefone service, a texting service and a postal service. The national drugs strategy intends rolling that out over a wider area. I am also examining other ways of targeting young people using new web-based and text-based technologies. I...

National Drugs Strategy. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: I am aware of the recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which suggested that Ireland is experiencing a higher rate of increase in cocaine use than other developed countries. I must stress, however, that it is the rate of increase that was being assessed in the report, not the actual level of cocaine usage. Furthermore, it should be borne in mind that our rate of...

National Drugs Strategy. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: The use of cocaine is worrying. There is no point in pretending otherwise. It is now a phenomenon across all social classes. That was highlighted in the Rehab Group report and in the report on cocaine which was published earlier this year. There are measures and pilot projects, including four cocaine-specific initiatives. There is one in Blanchardstown and another in the south inner...

National Drugs Strategy. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: The three projects to which I referred are very specific. Local drugs task forces, the HSE and others provide for a wide range of interventions. We are developing best practice. While there is no alternative to cocaine in terms of medication, there are interventions in terms of therapies and so on. It is not true to say nothing is being done. An important intervention which has been...

Drug Seizures. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: The Government is well aware of the threat from drug trafficking associated with coastal areas and I am satisfied that the relevant authorities — the Customs and Excise Service of the Revenue Commissioners and the Garda, supported as appropriate by the Irish Naval Service — are addressing the issues in a co-ordinated and integrated way. In addition, the response required to tackle this...

Drug Seizures. (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: In recent weeks Garda authorities have increased the number of gardaí assigned to drug intervention issues. The interagency approach which is key to all of this is being constantly monitored. In the last number of weeks I have had a number of meetings to ensure the interagency approach is beefed up, for want of a better term. I had an interesting meeting in July with a group largely...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 13 together. The National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 has achieved considerable success across a range of areas in reducing the hardship caused to individuals and society by problem drug use. Under the Strategy, the Government continues to address problem drug use in a co-ordinated way through the original four pillars of supply reduction, prevention,...

Written Answers — Mobile Telephony: Mobile Telephony (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: As Minister with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, I would obviously support any initiatives that would inhibit illicit drug dealing. The widespread use of mobile phones in drug dealing is common knowledge and the problem was reinforced to me in a recent meeting with representatives of the Garda National Drugs Unit. Furthermore, the Programme for Government contains a...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 33 together. Since the Dormant Accounts scheme became operational in 2003, approximately €125 million has been approved for allocation from the Fund to support over 3,800 groups and organisations involved in tackling disadvantage and assisting persons with a disability. A further €62.4m has been allocated to support the Early Intervention Programme...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: One of the main recommendations arising from the Mid-term Review of the National Drugs Strategy (NDS), was that rehabilitation should become its fifth pillar. In this context, a Working Group, chaired by my Department and involving representatives of all key players in the NDS, was established to examine the issues involved and to make recommendations on how best to progress the...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Areas: Disadvantaged Areas (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: The Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund (YPFSF) was established in 1998 to assist in the development of facilities (including sport and recreational facilities) and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem existed or had the potential to develop. To date, over €125m has been allocated, with approximately 330 staff being supported. The Programme for Government...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: Tackling the problem of drugs misuse is a key priority for Government and will continue to be so. This commitment is evidenced by the increasing levels of funding in my Department's Vote. The allocation of €50m this year represented an increase of 16% on the 2006 figure and was an increase of 87% over the corresponding figure for 2004. In all, over 440 community-based projects are being...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: The Charities Bill 2007, the purpose of which is to regulate charities so as to ensure accountability and to protect against abuse of charitable status and fraud, was originally listed for Second Stage in the Dáil on 3 May 2007 but was not taken following the dissolution of that Dáil. The Bill has since been restored to the Order Paper and is expected to proceed to Second Stage in the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: The National Drug Related Death Index (NDRDI) — which is jointly funded by the Departments of Health & Children and Justice Equality & Law Reform — is being prepared at present by the Health Research Board. I am informed that a preliminary report will be made in 2008. While firm figures are not available at this time, I am aware that the Dublin County Coroner recently gave a warning about...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector: Voluntary Sector (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: An application from the group referred to by the Deputy has been received under the new Funding Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector. Assessment of the large number of applications received under this Scheme is currently underway, with a view to having new funding arrangements in place before the cessation of the current funding at the end of November...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Sep 2007)

Pat Carey: I am aware of the dangers that crack cocaine use can pose in terms of the potential harm it can cause to individuals, families and communities. I am also aware of the risk that crack cocaine could potentially spread to increasing numbers of cities and towns here. However, I am informed by the Garda authorities that, while there has been an increase in the number of seizures of crack cocaine...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Oct 2007)

Pat Carey: The organisation in question was approved by Government for a capital grant of €90,000 under the Dormant Accounts RAPID Additionality measure in June 2006. My Department engaged Pobal to administer this measure on its behalf. Due to a delay on the part of the organisation concerned in confirming project costs, Pobal visited the organisation in April 2007 to assist them with fulfilling...