Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I have outlined the structures and goals the Government is pursuing. We are trying to do it in a balanced way and with a complementary focus and to hit on the different pillars of the strategy. Ideas, goals and strategies are financed by taxpayers' money, which must be put to good use. The figures I provided for the allocation of the extra funding given in the last few years reflect the Government's commitment. We have €43 million this year, a 37% increase on last year's allocation, which was 18% higher than the previous year. Those figures represent expenditure only by my Department as co-ordinating Department. The Department of Health and Children spends more than that and the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Education and Science and agencies such as FÁS also spend money. The total spending by the different arms of the State on cracking down on drugs, treating and guiding people and providing alternatives is between €150 million and €200 million.

I hope I am not being blamed for the problems of last Saturday. There are many gurriers, hoodies or whatever one calls them out there. They are out in various suburbs every night of the week and certain events bring them into Dublin city. They usually wait until the afternoon of 17 March. They seem to have come early this year. The events of last Saturday were not caused solely by people who have tried drugs on a few occasions or weekly. My constituents are not usually equipped with petrol bombs. Other people provided the brains, or lack thereof, behind the event.

In response to Senator McHugh, we are putting a fortune into treating drug users. Almost 8,000 people now take methadone. I accept that six, eight or ten years ago the policy was to put drug users on methadone. Although it stopped people robbing and mugging to get their next fix it is not the long-term solution and that is why we have a number of rehabilitative projects. FÁS has reserved approximately 1,000 CE places. Rehabilitation has been upgraded to a pillar of the strategy. We hope for better co-ordination and better emphasis on long-term effects because many of these people are not lost forever. They have families, they live in communities. Although it is difficult to pull some of them back, if one gives them a chance, works with them and provides treatment, many can make a useful contribution to society. I mentioned the young people's fund. There are many poorer, disadvantaged communities, particularly around Dublin, which were built in the 1970s and early 1980s and never had many recreational facilities. Some €100 million has been invested in sporting and youth facilities to give them a chance. There is not much point in telling young hoodies not to take drugs unless one can ask them why they do not go to a sports club, the youth café or put their energies into something else. That is what we are trying to do. Young people, thankfully, are full of energy. We do not want them throwing stones, but want that energy going elsewhere. Perhaps I have a one-track mind which is all about a football field. People may want to become involved in cultural diversions or whatever.

At least heroin, which was the original scourge, has its substitute treatment, methadone. Cocaine is now a growing problem, but there is no substitute for it. The best that is on offer is counselling and behavioural therapy. Even in the areas of Dublin where there was a major heroin problem, the numbers have more or less stabilised. The users are getting older and fewer young people are becoming involved with heroin. It is even perceived to be something of a "loser's drug" within the communities. Sadly, they are not all playing football and I know they may be dabbling in other things. We are trying to work with them, however.

We are spending €43 million this year, plus another €25 million that started at community level and which has now been mainstreamed into other areas. There are about 600 people involved, about 300 on the drugs side and 300 on the facilities side. That is over 600 jobs which started and developed at community level, mainly in the Dublin area. That is a large figure.

Perhaps some of the people who have been working in this area for years are becoming frustrated. They may have thought the drug problem could be solved with just a couple of dozen people working on it. I understand that, and we can all be somewhat disappointed and frustrated. Nonetheless, there is an enormous investment by the State in this area.

Senator Ryan spoke about Switzerland, consumption rooms and prescribing clinics. I also saw them when I went to Switzerland and Germany two years ago. He also cited the UN narcotics board. When it heard that I was going over to look at these facilities it was horrified and asked me to reconsider. The UN narcotics board is ideologically a drug-free advocate and, as such, is perhaps too theoretical. The board was horrified at the notion that I was even going to look at some of these liberal areas. There is no single answer. The general health of drug misusers is important. We are giving them far better services and treatment and their general health is much better.

We are not going to liberalise cannabis. That would be a foolish thing to do. The Garda concentrates its time on the big fish, not on 16 year olds, apart from giving them a few scares now and again. However, we are putting in the resources and the strategy is in place. It is a massive challenge. Drugs will not go away, but I hope that Members see we are carrying out the strategy and meeting the challenge head-on. If we pull together with the communities on the ground, who are vital in all of this, we can continue to make progress. Sadly, I do not expect to be able to tell the Seanad at some point that we have got rid of drugs in Ireland. It is a case of curbing the abuse and reducing it.