Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

The drugs task force and regional services are under-resourced. I understand they have been given budgets, but mainly for administrative purposes and not necessarily the funding they require to carry out necessary works. The Government promised to spend €2 billion on the RAPID progamme. In my own constituency Graiguecullen and Tullow Road in Carlow benefited from that programme. However, the figures we were given last month indicate that only €10 million was spent out of the €2 billion, equivalent to 0.5%. It is one matter to speak of a budget, and another to give it to the groups concerned. I was amazed to learn that the crime figures released in July show a 30% drop in the number of convictions for drug supply and sales. That means either the sale and supply of drugs has decreased or, more likely, that the gardaí are not catching people. I know for certain that in Carlow the sale and supply of drugs has not decreased by 30%.