Results 5,941-5,960 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran

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...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: As the Deputy will be aware, the national drugs public awareness campaign, led by the HSE, was launched by my predecessor, the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey, in February last. The campaign focused on cocaine and young people, highlighting not only the dangers for the individuals who use the drug, but also the damage caused by cocaine related activity in society, activity that is often...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I do not have information with regard to the breakdown of the numbers calling the helpline. That information is with the HSE. With regard to what we refer to as poly drug use, be it alcohol or other drugs, one of the findings from research done after the campaign was there was greater awareness among cocaine users of the heightened risk involved when using other drugs while using cocaine.

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I acknowledge the figures the Deputy mentioned, but if we look at the figures for both prior to and after the campaign, we see some significant changes with regard to people's perspective. The figures changed during that period. I agree with the Deputy that a one-off campaign is not sufficient. The HSE campaign was public and we are now conducting the local campaign. However, if we are to...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: Support for families affected by drug misuse is a key priority of the current national drugs strategy and I expect it will continue to be prioritised under the new strategy which is currently being developed. As the Deputy knows only too well, problem drug use can have a devastating effect on the family and it is particularly important to have appropriate, accessible and timely services in...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: Before I address the Deputy's question, I want to clarify that at the moment there are quite a number of family support projects. Around 120 such projects are being run by local drugs task forces, while the regional drugs task forces are running 50 projects that have been identified as providing primarily family support. During the public consultation period for the new national drugs...

National Drugs Strategy. (7 Oct 2008)

John Curran: I agree with the Deputy. During the public consultation process it was found that the availability of services seemed to vary radically around the country. In some parts of Dublin services are more accessible and better established, while in other parts of the country there is clearly a deficit. I acknowledge and agree with the Deputy's point.

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.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (2 Oct 2008)

John Curran: As the Deputy will be aware, there are 14 Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) in operation — 12 in Dublin, one in Cork City and one in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The core staff of the Task Forces are based in separate premises across the 14 individual Task Force areas. Details of the locations of the LDTFs are attached at Appendix 1. Five Task Forces currently rent their own premises — Ballymun,...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (2 Oct 2008)

John Curran: The Community Development Programme (CDP) was established in 1990 in recognition of the role of community development in tackling poverty and disadvantage. In 2008, an allocation of €24.5million has made available for the Community Development Programme. The Programme currently core funds 185 community development projects in communities experiencing social and economic disadvantage. All...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (25 Sep 2008)

John Curran: Work on developing the new National Drugs Strategy, to which I assume the Deputy is referring, has been ongoing throughout the year and is being overseen by a Steering Group, which is chaired by my Department. As part of the ongoing work, a comprehensive consultation process was undertaken in April – June 2008, which included: 15 public consultation meetings; meetings with relevant...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (24 Sep 2008)

John Curran: In March 2008, my Department approved funding of €860,988 towards the cost of refurbishing the building in question in Manor Street, Dublin 7 under the National Drugs Strategy's Premises Initiative. This followed an application from the North Inner City Local Drugs Task Force for funding to accommodate the transfer of the Gateway Rehabilitation Project from its previous accommodation in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Sep 2008)

John Curran: An application from this Group in respect of the Scheme of Community Support for Older People was received in my Department on 20th May 2008. The application was incomplete in a number of respects and required further information to be provided to establish (i) the eligibility of a number of older people seeking alarm systems and (ii) that the Group complied with the terms and conditions of...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (24 Sep 2008)

John Curran: Question 255 of 28 May 2008 dealt with contracts for support agencies under the Community Development Programme. Support agencies were contracted to provide supports to community development projects, which, in turn deliver the programme under contract to my Department. Expressions of interest for revised supports for the Programme were called for on the e-tenders website on 16 June 2008,...