Results 5,981-6,000 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran
- National Drugs Strategy. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I thank Deputy Wall for his kind comments at the outset. Prevention and awareness are two different aspects of the problem. We work with local authorities and sporting organisations. They play a key role, primarily from the point of view of being a deterrent. Local authorities work with soccer and GAA clubs, among other groups, through the young people's facilities and services fund on...
- National Drugs Strategy. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I thank Deputy Ring for asking this question because since I was landed into the Department, that is what I have been occupied with in recent weeks. As part of the process of developing the next national drugs strategy to cover the period 2009 to 2016, the steering group chaired by my Department, which is overseeing the process, is currently completing a comprehensive series of consultation...
- National Drugs Strategy. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I thank the Deputy. The figures to which he referred are lifetime figures for anyone who has ever used a drug and they do not accurately represent what is happening. We are more concerned with the figures for last month or last year. I accept the point Deputy Ring made about the trend increasing outside the Dublin area. The figures in the report published yesterday are very important...
- National Drugs Strategy. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: It is not a fair comment that the current national drugs strategy has not worked. Perhaps aspects of it did not work but, nonetheless, significant successes are apparent. On the Deputy's specific request, we are engaged in ongoing discussions with the HSE, and not just in the Deputy's area, as the strategy is a national one. However, the Deputy's points are well made and were reflected in...
- National Drugs Strategy. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: Against the background of the formulation of a new national drugs strategy for the period from 2009 to 2016, I have an open mind, at this stage, on a combined approach to tackling the problems associated with drugs and alcohol. However, I favour exploiting the potential for synergies that exist in our current approaches. In considering the five pillars of the national drugs strategy, it is...
- National Drugs Strategy. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: The issue of having a single policy has attracted considerable interest. There would be one concern if we were to have a combined strategy for misuse. How do we structure it and are the existing services such as local drugs task forces adequately resourced to deal with it? Different people have different views, but the one message coming across loud at all the meetings was the point the...
- Community Development. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 51 together. The young people's facilities and services fund, YPFSF, aims to assist in the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people in...
- Community Development. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: On the first question, it is up to each national organisation as to how it gets involved. The FAI has embarked on this in its scheme. However, it would be wrong to send out the signal that others do not. I am aware that the GAA in Dublin has development officers. Probably as a result of the structure of the GAA, there is only one GAA club in my village whereas there are several soccer...
- Community Development. (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: It does not cover all of them.
- Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: The Minister was not responding to Deputy Flanagan.
- Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I did not say that. I said the Minister was not only responding to Deputy Flanagan.
- Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: The fact that he responded means the Deputy cannot say his head was in the sand.
- Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Jun 2008)
John Curran: Thank you.
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (25 Jun 2008)
John Curran: The project referred to by the Deputy is an Education/Skills Training Programme in the North West Inner City area of Dublin. The project offers a FETAC-accredited training and education programme for female drug users who are stabilized and/or on methadone maintenance. The project receives annual funding from my Department under the National Drugs Strategy and the allocation in 2008 is...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (24 Jun 2008)
John Curran: The project referred to by the Deputy is a drug awareness project that receives annual funding from my Department under the National Drugs Strategy. The allocation for 2008 is nearly â¬190,000. I understand that the project has also made an application for funding under the Drugs Task Force Premises Initiative Fund, which addresses the accommodation needs of community-based drugs projects....
- Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Motion (18 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I thank the Senators for their contributions. As was mentioned, this is my first official visit to the Seanad. I was on the far side of the glass partition any time I was here previously. I thank the Seanad for the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the development of a new national drugs strategy. I welcome it and it is important that Members of this House have an opportunity to...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (17 Jun 2008)
John Curran: The Needs Analysis Research Report was compiled by an organisation funded under this Department's Community Development Programme. The Programme was established in 1990 to tackle exclusion, poverty and disadvantage. It provides funding to designated community development resource centres/projects in communities experiencing social and economic disadvantage. The projects, which are private,...
- Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (17 Jun 2008)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 583 and 597 together. Under the Dormant Accounts Acts, disbursement of unclaimed dormant accounts are used for the purposes of assisting three broad categories of persons â those affected by economic and social disadvantage; those affected by educational disadvantage; and persons with a disability. In addition to â¬63 million of disbursements agreed by...
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (17 Jun 2008)
John Curran: Grants in respect of personal alarm systems are available for senior citizens as part of my Department's Scheme of Community Support for Older People. Local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department administer the Scheme. Individual applicants must be 65 years of age or over and have a genuine need for the security equipment. A maximum individual grant of â¬300 is...
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (17 Jun 2008)
John Curran: My Department manages the Scheme of Community Support for Older People which assists qualifying older people, aged 65 years and over, by means of a community based grant scheme. Funding is provided towards the once-off cost of installing monitored alarm systems, door and window locks, door chains, security lighting, smoke alarms and in the case of qualifying older people living on our...