Results 1,661-1,680 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Fingal County Council has submitted a proposal to my department in respect of a Remedial Works Scheme to Mourne View Estate in Skerries. This proposal is currently under examination.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 109 together. The 2007 Estimates provision of just over €43m represents a continuation of the increased level of funding that I have secured to tackle the problem of drugs misuse in recent years. The similar allocation for the Drugs Initiative/Young People's Facilities and Services Fund in 2006 represented an increase of 37% on the original 2005...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department has been allocated an additional €5 million in 2007 to further support the development of volunteering in Ireland. This is in keeping with the Government's commitment under Towards 2016. My Department will continue to focus on building on the existing volunteering infrastructure, including the Volunteer Bureaux, promoting Volunteering among young people and developing...

Written Answers — Drugs Seizures: Drugs Seizures (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 56 and 99 together. I am fully aware, through my own contacts and that of my officials with the relevant Departments and Agencies involved in the roll-out of the National Drugs Strategy, of the increase in the number of large drug seizures by An Garda Síochána and I congratulate them on these successes. I am in regular contact with the Department of...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Scheme Community Support for Older People is operated by my Department and provides funding to local community and voluntary groups who identify vulnerable older people in their communities and arrange for the installation of socially-monitored alarms and other items of psychical security equipment. €3 million has been made available to the Scheme of Community Supports for Older People...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 64 together. I do not accept the conclusion of the Drug Policy Action Group paper that the Government and Garda authorities need to completely rethink and liberalise their approach to the illicit drug trade nor do I agree that senior Government officials, judges and Gardaí at the coalface of the drugs problem do not understand the issues. In the first...

Written Answers — Drug Use: Drug Use (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will appreciate that the matter raised is primarily one for my colleague, the Minister for Transport. I can assure the Deputy, however, that I certainly do not think that driving under the influence of drugs is acceptable nor do I believe that there is a trend towards acceptance of driving while under the influence of drugs among the general public. A report "Driving under the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am aware of the recommendations of the report of the Drug Policy Action Group on "Social care and drug users in Ireland". The recommendations therein are broadly in line with Actions of the National Drugs Strategy, focusing primarily on providing a continuum of care for clients and ensuring that quality standards are achieved in the services provided. As the Deputy will be aware, a...

Written Answers — Travellers Rights: Travellers Rights (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Travellers are one of a number of target groups that benefit under the Community Development Programme. While a significant number of the 182 projects currently within the Programme would identify Travellers among beneficiaries of their activities and services, 21 projects specifically focus on providing Traveller support. Training courses, support groups, provision of information, work...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: While I have not had detailed discussions with either the Department of Justice Equality & Law Reform nor the Department of Health & Children on the specific issue of the introduction of a UK style drugs classification system, I do not think that the introduction of such a system would assist efforts to combat the spread of serious drugs such as heroin and cocaine and there are no plans at...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware my Department administers and delivers a wide range of programmes and measures targeted at social or economic deprivation and its consequences in either rural or urban areas and at community development, both local and national. Funding has been made available or is potentially available, for the specific purposes adverted to by the Deputy under a number of these...

Written Answers — Drug Use: Drug Use (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: A definitive estimate of the number of cannabis users in Ireland is not available. The first Drug Prevalence Survey 2002/2003 that was carried out among the 15-64 year age group provides the only national evidence available. Of the 4,900 people interviewed for that survey, just over 17% reported some past use of cannabis, with males being almost twice as likely to report such use. Lifetime...

Written Answers — Charities Regulation: Charities Regulation (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The General Scheme for the Charities Regulation Bill is available on my Department's website at http://www.pobail.ie/en/ Charities Regulation/HeadsofBill/. The General Scheme provides that the proposed new Regulatory Authority will have the power to encourage, facilitate and monitor compliance with the forthcoming Act. Encouragement and facilitation of compliance may include the provision of...

Written Answers — Drug Use: Drug Use (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I welcome the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) annual report for 2006 as it provides us with a contextual framework through which to examine our experience of problem drug use from an overall European perspective. Any finding that drugs are at their cheapest for five years, and are probably cheaper than ever before, serves to emphasise the scale of the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation is nearing the completion of its work and it is expected that their report will be finalised before the end of the year. Arrangements will then be made for its publication. The Group has taken a holistic view of rehabilitation and, while recognising the importance of clients being activated and prepared to fulfil their role in the effort towards...

Written Answers — Suicide Incidence: Suicide Incidence (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am aware of comments of the Irish Association of Suicidology that binge drinking in particular, and illicit drug taking, are factors in the rising rate of suicide among young women. While dealing with suicide is a matter for the Health Services Executive in the first instance, tackling the issue of illicit substance misuse among young people is a key element of the National Drugs Strategy...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Following on from the evaluation of the confidential anti-drug dealing phone line established by Blanchardstown Local Drugs Task Force with funding provided by my Department, the Steering Group of the project proposed, as one of a number of recommendations, that the campaign be piloted nationwide. The recommendations arising are being considered by the National Drugs Strategy Team and on...

Written Answers — Contaminated Heroin: Contaminated Heroin (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am fully aware of the dangers posed if cheaper and either less pure or more pure heroin is available for sale in Ireland, but, as yet, there is no clear evidence that this is the case. I acknowledge with regret the recent tragic deaths of a number of heroin users in Dublin. However, toxicology reports are still awaited and Garda and HSE investigations are ongoing. No links have yet been...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I welcome the report 'A Community Drugs Study: Developing Community Indicators for Problem Drug Use' as a contribution to the development of an appropriate set of community indicators that would reflect the changes in communities' experience of drug related issues. The study related to issues raised in 2004 and to services provided in 1996–2002. Further significant investment has been made...

Written Answers — National Drugs Initiative: National Drugs Initiative (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I recently received a copy of the report "Harm Reduction Strategies and Young People in Blanchardstown" prepared by the Blanchardstown Local Drug Task Force, which was launched by my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health & Children, while opening the Blanchardstown Drug Awareness week in November. The report proposes the use of harm reduction messages to young people...