Results 941-960 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran

Drug Treatment Programme. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I appreciate that this is a matter of serious concern to Deputy Ring and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Finneran, both of whom have raised it with me previously. To give the Deputy a straight answer, I was not aware in advance of the decision on Harristown House and, as I stated publicly, I was not contacted on the issue. While this concerned me somewhat, I do not want to rehearse a...

Substance Misuse. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: 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...

Substance Misuse. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: 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...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: The Government has been, and remains, firmly committed to tackling the problem of drug misuse in our society. This is evidenced by the fact that between 2003 and 2008, there was a doubling of funding targeted at community-based initiatives, through my Department's Vote, from €31.5 million to over €64 million. The reduction in the 2009 funding allocation to the Department for the drugs...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I welcome the opportunity to clarify the answer. Deputy Byrne quoted from budget day when I said, "my emphasis is to maintain frontline services". It is true that funding for the drugs subhead in the Department has been cut by 5%, but the drugs taskforces, which deliver the community-based projects the Deputy mentioned, will receive precisely the same amount of money in 2009 as they did in...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: While my officials consulted with the Irish Pharmaceutical Union during the comprehensive consultation process that was undertaken earlier in the year on the development of a new national drugs strategy, the issue of the production of crystal meths was not raised in that context. Nor have I engaged with the Ministers for Health and Children or Justice Equality and Law Reform to explore the...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: On the seizures, the Garda would say that currently crystal meths is not a major feature of the Irish drug market. There were two seizures, the one the Deputy mentioned in the midlands, which was considered a major seizure, and a second seizure in the south of the country. Crystal meths must be dealt with as one of the illegal substances with which we deal. There will be an action, under...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: Experts say that crystal meths is one of the most addictive street drugs and one of the hardest to treat. Therefore, it is a serious concern. As Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, it is regarded in the US as one of the more common hard core drugs. With regard to its effects, it is seen as a euphoric sex and dance culture drug, but has significant adverse consequences. It can lead to paranoia,...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: As I outlined earlier today, the Government is firmly committed to tackling the problem of drug misuse in our society. The doubling of funding targeted at community-based initiatives funded through my Department's Vote, from €31.5 million in 2003 to more than €64 million in 2008, is, I believe, clear evidence of that commitment. The reduction in the 2009 funding allocation to my...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I disagree that we referred to 2003 except to show the increase over a five year period. I will be specific because the Deputy mentioned drugs task forces and funding cuts. As the Deputy is well aware, there is a recession in this country, Britain, the eurozone, the US and Japan. Consequently, the funding available to my Department is less this year than it was last year. Bearing this in...

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: No. The Deputy is not reading the correct information. While the Deputy may choose not to listen, drugs task forces will receive €32 million next year, which is what they received in 2008. The Deputy can jump up and down as often as he likes, but they——

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: ——will get the same in 2009.

National Drugs Strategy. (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: In 2008, the funding for task forces was €32 million. Despite my Department and this subhead experiencing a 5% cut, front line services provided by the task forces will receive €32 million in 2009. The appeal is to consider new ways in which to do business. Instead of asking for more money to deliver the same services, the commercial principles that apply in the private sector should...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector: Voluntary Sector (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: In recent years, the Government has sought to actively encourage and support the community & voluntary sector and has prioritised significant resources in pursuit of this objective. This funding supports valued services that community & voluntary groups provide to Irish society on a not-for-profit basis. In addition, the role of the sector has been reflected in the evolution of social...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 108 and 382 together. Work on the development of a new National Drugs Strategy to cover the period 2009-2016 has been ongoing in my Department throughout 2008 and is continuing. The Steering Group established to develop proposals and make recommendations to me on the new Strategy has been meeting regularly during the year and the frequency of these...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I welcome the success of An Garda Síochána and the Customs Service in targeting the supply of drugs — both nationally and internationally — with the resultant continuing high levels of seizures on land and at sea. I am aware that these achievements are based on an intelligence-led approach and I am know that both organisations are committed to continuing to work together to reduce the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 392, 394 and 395 together. As the Deputy is 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. A breakdown of funding across the different Task Force areas since 2003 is set out below. The outturn for both in 2008 is expected to be...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: The National Drugs Related Death Index (NDRDI), covering the period 1998-2005, was published by the Health Research Board last week in fulfilment of action 67 of the National Drug Strategy. The development of a comprehensive index was prioritised in the current Strategy as it was accepted that the level of drug related deaths — as reported by the General Mortality Register — was...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: The new National Drugs Strategy, which will cover the period 2009-2016, will include measures to deal with issues arising from the use of any illicit drug, including crystal meth. The emphasis will be on ensuring that there is an on-going comprehensive response to drug related problems — rather than on drug-specific measures per se. However, those involved in dealing with the drugs...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (18 Nov 2008)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 380 together. As the Deputy will be aware, ten Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs) were established in 2003/04 in the former Health Board areas to develop appropriate policies to deal with drug misuse in the regions. Across the ten RDTF areas, work is progressing on the implementation of their Action Plans with expenditure in 2007 coming to over...