Results 1,881-1,900 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Methadone is the main substitute form of treatment for heroin users. The National Advisory Committee on Drugs produced a major report on a form of medication called Subutex, which is a form of buprenorphine, two years ago. Subutex is used in a number of countries — it is almost as popular as methadone in some countries. The report was referred to the Minister for Health and Children at...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Approximately 8,000 people are on methadone at present. It is estimated that there are approximately 14,500 heroin misusers in this country. Approximately 4,700 of the 8,000 methadone users are being treated in clinics, approximately 2,800 of them are being treated by their general practitioners and approximately 400 of them are being treated under prison-based methadone programmes. Some...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I accept that. A great deal of good work is being done in the area of rehabilitation, but some unfocused work is also being undertaken. The working group will try to suggest some structures to pull it all together and develop best practice. Some of the rehabilitation work is not great, although most of it is great. It may be the case that more people on community employment schemes, for...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I hope that they will have completed the job before Christmas, but I doubt we will be launching it or discussing it before then.

Dormant Accounts Fund. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Funding to assist suicide prevention initiatives is one of the priority measures approved by the Government for support from the dormant accounts fund in 2006. Details concerning the allocation of almost €1 million from the dormant accounts fund to support 20 suicide prevention projects were announced on 23 October 2006. The key objective of this funding measure is to provide interventions...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: A cross-departmental committee was set up this year on the dormant accounts fund and this was one of the projects mentioned. We have €60 million to spend this year, of which €24 million was spent on social and economic disadvantage. The next programme will probably cost €30 million and if the Deputy recommends it and we get good feedback, we will consider the project next year. We...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Supply reduction is one of the cornerstones of the national drugs strategy and the operations of the Garda Síochána are central in this regard. In 2005, a total of 1,166 people were prosecuted for drug offences in County Cork. This represented a significant increase on the 867 prosecuted in 2004. I welcome the recent break up of a cocaine distribution operation in Cork and I congratulate...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I agree with everything the Deputy said. There is no doubt that, while the gardaí and the customs and excise service have been very successful, large quantities of drugs are still getting through, and the price on the street is probably the most accurate measure of that. Any drugs seizure can seriously disrupt a given operation, put people out of business or foster disputes between them....

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Cocaine mainly originates in Colombia in South America and has traditionally been transported into Europe through Spain and Portugal. Spain is the main transit route and many Irish drug dealers live permanently in Spain in places such as Alicante. The Garda Síochána has international contacts and works with Interpol and other police forces. I do not know if it is the one to which Deputy...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Two key studies are to be undertaken in the next year or so through which progress of the prevention pillar of the national drug strategy will be monitored. These will be comparable to studies that were carried out in 2000 and 2002. With specific respect to opiate users, and to the 5% target figure for 2007, the first benchmark study carried out was the National Advisory Committee on Drugs,...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The money being spent through the Department increased dramatically in recent years. The figure for this year is €43 million, which represents an increase of 60% on the figure for two years ago.

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: That is only part of what is spent. All of our initiatives through the local or regional drugs task forces are pilot schemes, which are then evaluated and mainstreamed. Approximately €25 million worth of funding has moved out into the mainstream. In the region of €70 million is being spent each year on projects that began at community level. When one adds this to the €80 million or...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: We are doing our best and are trying to get the message across. We are providing resources in respect of the initiatives that have come forward. The ROSIE study was great because it proved that treatment works. We are trying to provide people with services. The drug problem is international in nature and it would be foolish for us to believe that illegal drugs will not be brought into...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: There are targets, but we need proper baseline data to follow up. We have the 2006 figure for heroin users, which showed a slight drop on the 2001 figure but showed that there were 2,000 plus outside Dublin. Six or seven years ago those people outside Dublin were probably included in the Dublin figure because one hears of stories of people who came from Arklow or Athlone every day by train....

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: There are prevention, education and awareness campaigns. Prevention is one of the five pillars of the strategy. In large part it is focused on the cannabis level, through schools. Under the SPHE programme, all schools include addiction and drug prevention modules as part of general overall education so that students have knowledge of it. At first this was provided in all schools in local...

National Drugs Strategy. (9 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: This is what we are trying to do. Persons, whether inside or outside prison, are provided with the services and if somebody is released in a planned way, that service is provided. In the past the hiccups arose where somebody was released suddenly from prison due to overcrowding or the like, and the outside service was not in place. The position in that regard is better now and the Irish...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation: Rental Accommodation (8 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is a collaborative project between the Department, the Department of Social and Family Affairs, local authorities and the Health Service Executive Community Welfare Division. In order to finance the funding of the transfer of households in the SWA rent supplement scheme with long-term housing needs to RAS, €19 million was provided to this Department's...

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (8 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Law Reform Commission is currently examining legal aspects generally regarding the management of multi-unit structures and a consultation paper is expected to be finalised shortly. Following the consultation period, a final report will be prepared and its recommendations will be considered by the Departments concerned, including the need for any new measures to be taken in this area. The...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (8 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The review of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme, which incorporates the conditions governing the Essential Repairs Grant scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly scheme has been finalised within my Department. I am very much aware of the importance of the efficient operation of the Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant schemes in assisting with the provision of appropriate...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Tenant purchase schemes are administered by local authorities as part of their overall housing management functions, having regard to the relevant legislation, regulations and the schemes adopted by individual local authorities. My Department has no function in relation to the administration of schemes at local level. Circular 7/2005 of 28 November 2005 requested local authorities to review...