Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I tabled this matter on heroin abuse and the escalation of drug use in Cork city because it has become a major issue in recent years. It is widely recognised that the use of heroin and other classified drugs has increased significantly in Cork and other regional centres in the past two years. What was once considered a problem in Dublin has now become entrenched in other parts of the country, in particular in urban areas such as Cork city.

We need a serious debate on why young people in particular are attracted to the use of drugs. What are the factors that make one young person more susceptible to addiction than another? We need to ask who profits from the sale of illegal drugs and the infliction of harm on thousands of young people. Are the people who deal in drugs common criminals or do they have links with paramilitaries? We need to ask through what means drugs enter our country and what are the powers of the State — the Garda and Customs and Excise — to prevent the importation and distribution of drugs. What role does society play in the development of a culture and an environment that is tolerant of a certain type of drug use in excess — prescribed medication, alcohol, hash or cocaine? Is society willing and able to partake in the treatment and management of drug addiction through the development of community-based facilities?

We have now reached the stage where heroin is available to buy in broad daylight in our local shopping centres and in many parts of Cork city. This has become an epidemic and something needs to be done to clamp down on the problem. In April this year an inquest heard about a Georgian man who had died after buying heroin in a shopping centre in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon. A family who recently lost their son to this horrendous addiction said the current situation in terms of receiving help was ridiculous. They said, "You have to be clean for six weeks before you can attend Arbour House," adding, "If they were clean, they wouldn't need to go there."

I pay tribute to the staff of Arbour House and other addiction counselling centres in Cork for the great work they are doing. In recent weeks we have become aware of drug related deaths in Cork city. Dr. Chris Luke, a leading accident and emergency consultant, has warned that this year at least 12 people from Cork will die from overdoses alone. He has said the problem has spiralled out of control in recent years. At the start of this decade he was seeing one or two cases of heroin addiction every year, whereas now he sees almost one a day.

We need to examine what we can do to alleviate the problem of drug addiction. It is time the Minister of State with responsibility for the matter, Deputy Curran, brought together the statutory agencies, including the Garda Síochána, the HSE, youth diversion programmes, local drug task forces and local politicians, in order that they can provide better facilities to ensure such persons can have the best chance of recovery. In that way we could counter the growing rise of drug abuse in Cork city and county. Why is there a waiting list to attend Arbour House? Why are centres such as Tabor Lodge having to wait for detox beds? Why do we not have sufficient such beds? Why is there a waiting list for people who wish to access addiction treatment, including counselling? Mr. Tony Geoghegan, the chief executive of the Merchant's Quay Project — the largest voluntary drug treatment centre in Dublin — has called for changes to the mechanisms involved. We need a multi-faceted, multi-agency plan to tackle drug pushing and addiction. There is a need for greater resourcing of treatment places.

I compliment the Garda Síochána and local drugs task forces on the work they are doing. The authorities, including the Judiciary, need to take on those who deal in drugs and are terrorising communities, especially in Cork city. The Garda needs to be resourced better. It has shown through Operation Reuben that we can have a response to the problem of drug abuse. We cannot wait for the publication of the report of the National Forum on Drugs; we need an action plan now.