Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

I am discussing the issue. I am laying the foundation for what I am about to say, namely that we are making progress on drugs misuse. The Senator cannot just dismiss things for the sake of it. The drugs trade was estimated to be worth about €1 billion in this country last year. Some 300 kg of cocaine alone were seized last year. In 2004, 18 kg was seized. The consensus is that any drug seizure represents about 10% of what is getting through, and by extrapolation, one is talking of a serious sum of money. There were 18 gangland killings last year, more than half linked in some way with the drugs trade.

I commend the gardaí on the work they are doing and urge the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to increase funding for drugs squads around the country. The youth diversion programmes have been mentioned. In the north inner city we take part in the community policing forum. The criminal justice Bill, due shortly, will allow for such fora to be set up around the country. The north inner city community policing forum is a huge success in the area, with face to face interaction between the community, the gardaí, Dublin City Council and the public representatives. It has paid huge dividends, particularly regarding drugs issues. People can go in confidence to gardaí without anyone knowing, and pass on useful information.

Kids and young people will always want to experiment. We must educate them in how to protect themselves from getting involved in drugs. There is no doubt the availability of drugs throughout the country, but particularly in Dublin city pubs and clubs, has increased, but we must educate our children in how to deal with those who approach them selling drugs. Peer pressure plays a major role in young people first becoming involved in drugs.

The Minister of State has noted the initiatives taken and the public information provided. The social, personal and health education programme or SPHE is now compulsory in schools and has played a major role. One of the pillars of the drugs strategy is treatment and I am glad to see that following the review, rehabilitation is now part of the strategy too. The debate on methadone treatment is ongoing. We now have a population of users and ex-users who have been on methadone for a number of years, and a review of the system is needed. Alternatives are available. Total abstinence programmes throughout Dublin and the entire country are proving very effective on the ground.

New drugs are now available. Cocaine has been mentioned and as the Minister of State noted, the drugs strategy is actively tackling the increase in cocaine supplies. It is interesting to look at the Garda drug seizures from last year. In December 2005 alone, 3.5 tonnes of cannabis, 4,500 ecstasy tablets and 12 kg of cocaine were seized. Crack cocaine is a particularly lethal form of drug. It is easily produced, cheap, has devastating effects and there is no treatment for it. Whatever we went through during the 1970s and 1980s with heroin, crack cocaine will be ten times more difficult to deal with. We must examine new ways of tackling these problems.

Methamphetamine and LSD are new. At present, methamphetamines have a devastating effect in the United States. It is seen as a more serious issue than the heroin epidemic of previous times. We must examine these issues now. Task forces throughout the country have made suggestions. The Minister and the Department will listen to them. The local and regional task forces have proved extremely successful.

Major investment has been made in local areas through the young persons' facilities fund and the RAPID programme. Investment is not only in leisure facilities and playgrounds. It is also taking place through organisations such as Dublin City Council investing in housing and improving its services, extra resources in schools and child care. Recently, an issue was raised regarding a community representative on the national drugs task force and that has been resolved. The extra investment made by the Minister of State will prove to be extremely effective.

It is no coincidence that the areas where drugs misuse is most prevalent are those with the lowest take-up of third level education. In the north inner city that figure is 8%. The national average is 50%. We must examine these areas. I commend the Minister of State and the Department. The strategy has proved successful and will continue do so in the future.