I do not need to tell Senators that drug misuse is a complex problem, one that impacts on the provision of many services. As such, it requires a response from a range of Departments, agencies, professionals and local communities. For example, drug misuse impacts on the health and education systems, the Garda and Customs and Excise, city and county councils and training bodies such as FÁS. Additionally, it has a very direct and often devastating impact on local communities. That is the reason the strategy is a very comprehensive document, which is the result of a thorough consultation process.

Approximately 190 submissions were received and eight regional consultation fora held around the country when the strategy was being considered. In addition, the review group and the then Minister of State met 35 separate interest groups. The views expressed throughout that process are reflected in the strategy. The result is a national drugs strategy that brings together in a single framework all those involved in drug misuse policy. In recognition of the complexity of the issue, the strategy contains 100 separate actions to be carried out by a range of Departments. These actions fall under four pillars: supply reduction; prevention, incorporating education and awareness; treatment, incorporating rehabilitation; and research.

Since my appointment as Minister of State last June I have been very interested in meeting and hearing the experiences of recovering drug misusers and those working in local communities to address the problem. The message I have received continually is that there has been considerable progress in recent years but that there is still much work to be done. The Government is aware of this and will continue to prioritise the issue.

With a strategy as broad as this it is important to put structures and processes in place which ensure its effective implementation. I chair an interdepartmental group on drugs which meets regularly to discuss the progress being made by Departments and agencies in the implementation of the actions set out in the strategy. A range of Departments and State agencies are represented in the group, the role of which is to bring to the attention of the Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion issues which may impede the progress of the strategy. My Department consults closely with those involved in the delivery of the actions in the strategy to prepare a six monthly progress report which I present to the Cabinet sub-committee. To date, we have presented two such reports and a third is due in April this year. The first annual report on the strategy is due to be published towards the end of April or in early May.

We have requested the production of a critical implementation path for each action to ensure each Department and agency implements the strategy in the most effective manner possible. The value of implementation paths is that they allow us to plot a time frame for each action and monitor the progress of the strategy. The critical implementation path document will be finalised shortly. A mid-term evaluation of the strategy will take place before the end of 2004 at which time it will be possible to make any necessary adjustments and improvements.

This is a long-term strategy but there is already much progress to report. Under its prevention pillar are included a number of actions for which the Department of Education and Science and the health promotion unit of the Department of Health and Children are responsible. A joint substance abuse policy committee comprising officials of both Departments has been convened to establish what support schools need to implement the drugs policy guidelines produced last May. The Department of Education and Science is recruiting extra support staff to enable it to deliver substance misuse prevention programmes as a priority in all schools within local drugs task force areas. All second level schools are to introduce such programmes from September 2003.

School is only one of the places young people learn about drugs and it is imperative that information is available more generally. The first phase of the national awareness campaign is being finalised and it is hoped to launch it next March. Over the course of a number of years the campaign will target various groups, including parents and young people. Through my involvement with the British-Irish Council sectoral group on drugs, for which ours is the lead Administration, I am conscious that the challenge drugs awareness campaigns present is common to many jurisdictions. I look forward to hosting the June conference scheduled in the Council's work programme which will examine that challenge further. The conference should present an opportunity to share experiences and develop best practice to maximise the potential of drugs awareness campaigns.

The second pillar of the strategy concerns treatment. The consultation process which helped us to draw up the strategy identified a clear need to fully integrate treatment and rehabilitation services which health boards and other agencies are addressing through a wide range of actions. It is important to treat addicted young people and be mindful of the particular sensitivity of treatment of those under the age of 18 years. The Department of Health and Children chairs a group charged with the task of developing a protocol for the treatment of those aged under 18 years and good progress has been made. The Department oversees the implementation of recommendations published in the December 2002 report of the working group set up to examine the use of benzodiazepines such as valium.

The national drugs strategy sought to increase the number of methadone treatment places to 6,500 by the end of 2002 and I am pleased to report significant progress. On 31 October, the latest date for which verified figures are available, the number of places stood at 6,446. This represents a substantial increase from the December 2000 figure of 5,032. In most areas waiting lists for those awaiting treatment have been significantly shortened while there are approximately 800 participating in the FÁS community employment scheme for recovering drug misusers.

The Garda and customs officials reported a greater number of seizures of heroin, cocaine and cannabis in 2001 than in 2000. They are on track to increase the number of seizures by 25% by 2004 and 50% by 2008. The customs service has relaunched its coastal watch programme and improved detection facilities at ports and airports. The Garda and health boards have reported increased heroin use outside Dublin and a rise in the use of cocaine generally. I have asked the national advisory committee on drugs, NACD, to examine the trends in this regard and will study its work to determine what action to take.

High quality information on the complex problem of drug misuse is vital. To this end, the national advisory committee on drugs was established two years ago to advise the Government with regard to its prevalence, consequences and treatment. The committee, whose membership comprises a range of academic, community, statutory and voluntary interests, oversees a three year programme of research. It has published an overview of current research into drug prevention and completed reviews of prevalence information and contemporary literature regarding the consequences of drug misuse for families and communities. These reviews have been used to inform further research. In November 2002 it commissioned a longitudinal study of treatment outcomes and in December 2002 published a report on the effectiveness of buprenorphine in the treatment of opiate dependence. It has commissioned an all-Ireland survey of drug use, the results of which are due late this year. An estimate of the number of opiate users should be completed in the next couple of weeks while a review of harm reduction mechanisms for injecting drug misusers in an Irish context is under way. A draft literature review in this area is due by April.

In September 2002, as part of the implementation of its work programme, the committee launched a community and voluntary research grants scheme to generate innovative community based drugs research. Under this heading, five community groups are working on research projects in their local drugs task force area.

In addition to specific actions under the strategy, my Department has responsibility for the work of local drugs task forces which were first set up six years ago in areas experiencing the worst levels of drug misuse. They operate in 14 areas – 12 in Dublin, one in Cork and one in Bray, County Wicklow, which was designated a task force area approximately three years ago. They are implementing their second round of action plans in respect of which, to date, over €14.5 million has been allocated. In total, since 1997 the Government has allocated over €51 million to implement the projects contained in the plans of the task forces under which they provide a range of drug programmes and services in the areas of supply reduction, treatment, rehabilitation, awareness, prevention and education. In total, over 450 projects have been implemented through the various task force plans.

In addition to the funding made available under the task force plans, a sum of €12.7 million was provided under the premises initiative which was designed to address the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects, the majority of which are based in local drugs task force areas. To date, over €11 million has been allocated to 38 projects under this initiative.

The young people's facilities and services fund is another initiative operating in the 14 local drugs task force areas and the urban centres of Limerick, Galway, Carlow and Waterford. The main aim of the fund is to attract young people at risk into sports and recreational facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance misuse. To date, approximately €59 million has been allocated for this purpose.

In broad terms, approximately 350 facility and services projects are being supported under the young people's facilities and services fund which fall under seven broad headings: building, renovating or fitting out of community centres, youth facilities and sports clubs; a number of purpose built youth centres; over 85 youth and outreach workers have been appointed; ten sports workers have been employed; a wide variety of community based prevention-education programmes are being supported; a number of targeted interventions for particular groups such as youth work projects for young Travellers have been put in place; and a number of national drugs education and training officers for youth organisations have been employed. I have seen many of these in operation in local drugs task force areas in my constituency and elsewhere in Dublin. Much useful work is being done in that respect.

Diversionary activities have an important role to play in the development of young people at risk of becoming involved in substance misuse. The young people's facilities and services fund aims to provide such activities in areas that need them most. There are many areas, particularly on the outskirts of Dublin, where large suburbs were built without proper infrastructure or social amenities. However, some very good work has been done in recent years under the auspices of the fund.

The positive and active involvement of local communities has played a significant part in the success of local drugs task forces. The consultation process involved in drawing up local task force plans in each community has been an important factor. The underlying principle of the strategy is the development of an integrated response informed by the active participation of all the stakeholders. Partnership and consultation are the best way forward in dealing not alone with this issue but also the wider problem of social inclusion. It is of vital importance that the communities most affected by the drugs problem are provided with the opportunity to have their voices heard in the development of drugs policies. Everybody involved in the local drugs task forces, particularly in the Dublin area, believes the community has been provided with a good service as a result.

Because task forces operate in selected urban areas of high drug misuse, the national drugs strategy recommended the setting up of regional drugs task forces in order to address the issue of drug misuse outside the main urban areas in Dublin and Cork. These task forces will operate in each of the current regional health board areas, including each of the three which comprise the Eastern Regional Health Authority. They will ensure an integrated and co-ordinated response to the problem of drug misuse in the regions and represent a team based response to illicit drug use. Each will be chaired by an independent chairperson and made up of nominees from State agencies working in the region, the community and voluntary sectors, and elected public representatives. It is my intention that all of the regional task force members will work in partnership in a manner similar to the local drugs task forces in Dublin and Cork.

Nominations have been sought from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors for representation on the regional task forces. In addition, the national drugs strategy team has prepared guidelines on their operation in consultation with the relevant sectors and agencies. It is planned to convene the first meeting of each task force by the end of March. It is hoped that, as well as examining the availability of drug services and related resources, they will also provide up-to-date information on the nature and extent of drug use in their region.

These are some of the main areas where progress has been achieved since the launch of the national drugs strategy. The misuse of drugs is a hugely complex issue. As I am sure Senators are aware, there is not just one drugs problem, rather there are many drugs used in different circumstances. Addressing this issue requires responses from a range of agencies and service providers. We all have a responsibility in this area, especially as politicians and legislators. In particular, we need to do our utmost to ensure we make a difference to those communities hit hardest by the problem of drug misuse.

The national drugs strategy covers the period up to 2008. Its mid-term evaluation will, I hope, inform us on how to build further upon the firm foundations put in place. While much progress has already been made, we need to continue our efforts to drive the strategy forward. In this regard, I look forward to hearing Senators' contributions.

As the Minister of State said, there is now the added problem of cocaine abuse. There is no medical intervention in any of the task forces in any health board area. Unless we intervene now, the cocaine problem will become worse. This was highlighted three years ago and we now face the real problem of the abuse of cocaine in the cities. Cocaine is regarded by some as a designer drug for middle class use, with none of the problems associated with heroin. I warn the House that this drug has caused a significant problem in this city and has become a real issue in recent years. Unless immediate action is taken to resolve the issue and stem the flow of cocaine into Dublin, Cork and Limerick, this problem will grow. Garda resources must be used to deal with the importation of drugs into the country and there must be medical intervention in respect of cocaine.

When the Proceeds of Crime Bill was going through both Houses some years ago, I proposed that moneys confiscated from drugs barons should be ring-fenced for the exclusive use of the communities worst affected by the drugs epidemic. The Government did not accept the amendment, but I ask the Minister of State to consider ring-fencing the money in the manner I proposed at that time.

Some of the areas to which I refer have been ravaged by the drugs problem. Whole generations have been lost and many families in large urban housing estates have been affected. We should put up notices in big, bold lettering in community centres that the moneys taken from the drugs barons, which they in turn earned on the backs of these communities, will be used to pay for new facilities. Until these communities see the difference that these moneys can make in terms of the provision of community facilities, we will be unable to ensure a more optimistic future for them. I ask the Minister of State to have discussions with his colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, on this issue.

I am pleased the Minister of State is going to extend the new task forces to the regions. The task forces in Dublin and Cork have been a great success because of the multi-agency response and the involvement of politicians. As I understand it, the departmental subhead for 2003 for a drugs initiative amounts to €16.3 million and the commitment to advance regional task forces will need another €7 million. That is a total of approximately €22 million which will be required this year if the Minister of State is serious about extending the drugs task forces to all regions of the country. Will the Minister of State ensure that the additional €7 million will be obtained so that the regional task forces, which are a vital part of the next step of the strategy, are put in place? I ask him to inform the House how he intends to obtain this funding. It will not be acceptable for areas with existing task forces to juggle funds in order to meet a new need in the regions.

I welcome the Minister of State's remarks on research. In this year alone, over 6,400 people are on methadone programmes. I am a great believer in methadone, but we do not know enough about the long-term effects of its use. Methadone is used to wean people off heroin. I have spoken to people who are taking methadone and can work 40 hours a week and are contributing to their communities. The task forces must be careful when replacing one drug with a legally prescribed alternative. We need more information on the number of people who use methadone to successfully wean themselves off heroin. There is a sub-culture which accepts the use of legally prescribed methadone as an intervention drug and another group which uses drugs illegally.

The Minister of State indicated that he will initiate a new programme for schools, starting in September 2003. This is an important development. Children should be shown the areas that have been affected by the drugs crisis. If the schools programme in question operates on a nationwide basis and children are informed of the problem of drugs, these children must be shown the type of environment that obtains in the communities to which I refer. Middle Ireland seems prepared to accept a subculture which has left many housing estates in areas of the country that have experienced phenomenally difficult times ravaged by the drugs problem. Children should be confronted by this so they see the harmful effects of the drugs that have devastated these communities.

The drugs task force in my area has raised a number of points in discussion. The Minister of State did not refer to any plans on his part or that of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to strengthen the level of support for drugs squads in individual areas. There are not enough gardaí working in this area. Those that are do tremendous work and they ferret away to get information and the desired result in the courts. However, we do not have enough people working in the area and I urge the Minister of State to address this in discussion with the Minister.

The South Western Area Health Board is unable to meet the demand for addiction counselling because it only has two counsellors available to service the entire Tallaght area, which has a population base of 85,000 and in which there is a significant drug misuse problem. We need to increase the number of addiction counsellors in the various task force areas.

There is a major problem with regard to funding. Most of the treatment centres receive funding under the section 65 provision, for which the Eastern Regional Health Authority has responsibility. There is a long-standing dispute in the centres because the funding has not kept pace with the additional funding the Government provides to the task forces. There may be a case for streamlining all funding through one Department rather than through the health boards. Significant voluntary work is done by people who, unpaid, put in 16 hour days. In effect, these individuals take on the responsibility of the health boards. If we are to take this matter seriously, we must realise that it will be a long campaign to stem drugs misuse and that we need these centres to make the interventions we need. I ask the Minister of State to consider streamlining the funding from his Department for these centres because funding from the health boards has not kept pace with the level of funding required.

Action is required in respect of the level of support for families. If one child in a family is a heroin addict, this has a colossal impact on the other family members. We have not done enough to support families trying to help a loved one kick the habit. In my area we have a group called SWAN which works solely with families in which there is a drug addict. Unfortunately, in the most recent plans put forward, the Department did not recognise sufficiently the kind of funding required for these groups if they are to provide support. The encouragement provided by families is often the only way forward in terms of getting addicts off drugs. Will the Minister of State look at additional funding mechanisms in regard to this? The eight people working in this project in my constituency come from the community employment scheme or the JI, jobs initiative. Two of those jobs will go in the next few months and will not be replaced. What will happen then and who will take over? This area needs further investigation. The best support we can give is to improve the level of funding for groups working with the families of addicts who are trying to kick the habit.

It would be helpful if we returned to basics. Today we are talking about the legislative process. As the Minister of State pointed out, several Departments are involved. This is indicative of the manner in which the tentacles of the drug-taking culture tend to move into all aspects of life. The community is working in partnership with those Departments. This is how it should be because the difficulties are on the ground and those suffering live in the community. It is not just the drug-taker who suffers. We must ask questions such as why is there so much crime? Why is there so little respect for life? How can anybody pulverise or rape an old person of 80 or 90 years of age? How can people be so greedy? How can there be so little neighbourliness? Why can people benefit so much from crime? These questions are fundamental to any corrective measures we will take.

We must ask why it is necessary for young people to take drugs. Often a young person who seems to have everything – a job, a marriage, a career and prospects – turns to drugs. When we compare such a life with the deprivation that existed years ago, why is it that they feel the need to use drugs to enhance their lives for a matter of minutes rather than years? There are issues involved, such as the lack of respect for authority, which must be examined. Perhaps there are several reasons for this lack of respect. Groups such as religious orders, the church, the Garda, politicians, etc., are under the spotlight and there appears to be less respect for them. This lack of respect permeates society and young people tend to look elsewhere for role models. Entertainment icons often become their role models. Sadly, when these role models make public confessions, which happens often, they state that they are addicted to drugs. It is these people who are the role models for our youth.

We must highlight this fact. It would be great if these role models pointed out the disastrous consequence of drug-taking, which amounts to a living death. Once people start to take hard drugs, in particular, the chances of ever being able to retrace their steps are very slim. While I am aware that the strategy allows for treatment, I set more store by education towards prevention. I accept that we must look after the existing cases and help them in every way. We must sympathise and empathise with them and try to understand the reason they find themselves in that position. Education is very important.

In regard to the debate on anti-social behaviour, particularly in so far as it refers to the abuse of alcohol, it took a long time for the media to say enough was enough – that anti-social behaviour impacted on the whole community. A recent "Prime Time" programme brought us inside hospital emergency wards on a Saturday night. It was appalling to see what medical staff had to cope with. It was sad to see young people, particularly young females of 17 and 18 years, out of their minds. They were not the ones suffering; rather it was their parents, the ones left at home to worry about their offspring. The greatest nightmare for parents today is whether their children will succumb to the temptations. In fairness, most are doing everything that is possible; they are observing changes in lifestyle, personality and attitude which is vital because at that level and with the help of the community and Government many young people can be prevented from embarking on the road to addiction.

Treatment is only of use when teamed with prevention. The entire community suffers from the consequences of drug and alcohol addiction. Television recently presented us with the sight of an 80-year-old man whose face had been pulverised. It is very difficult to rationalise such a spectacle. How can anybody deserving of the name of a human being inflict such harm on an unfortunate and innocent person? There is no answer. In many cases drugs are at the heart of the cause. When people are addicted, they will do anything to get money to feed their habit. The victims are not the only ones affected, so too are the many who were previously living out their last days in contentment and relative security who have had that taken from them. There is no longer a question of a door being left unlocked or people being able to feel secure. We have resorted to the security technology of panic buttons, alarms and so on. Fear has taken over.

Last week I spoke on the issue of drugs on a local radio programme. The interviewer asked me what I was doing as a legislator and if I was prepared to back what might be regarded as draconian laws to tackle the drug barons. I would be prepared to do so, although, generally speaking, civil rights are one of the issues at the top of my agenda. Once the drug barons and drug pushers send people down the road of drug taking the next step is addiction. The people concerned are being condemned to the living death to which I referred.

Some of the laws in question have already been put in place. The criminal assets legislation has been particularly effective; so much so that we had representatives of the British Government with us in the past couple of weeks studying that body of legislation. I do not know if we can be more draconian in that regard. I would not have any difficulty in standing up to a civil rights activist on the issue. There are numerous side effects contingent on the addiction of one young person – the devastation caused to his or her family and, by extension, the effect on the community and the country. It is not too strong a statement to say we are in the middle of a war and must have the necessary weapons, in a legislative sense, to deal with the situation. If there is any other measure we can bring forward to put the people involved out of business, we must do so.

Currently there is only a residual glamour attached to the world of drugs – I compliment the media in this regard – but even these last vestiges must be removed. We must be particularly careful about those promoting the notion that certain soft drugs should be allowed. They are wrong and being disingenuous in using the cover of the potential use for medicinal purposes. If there are medicinal purposes, it will be in the hands of the medical practitioners. Once the floodgates are opened on any soft drug, its appeal will be reduced and people will move onto a higher level of drug.

In the past three years soft drugs were posted to Leinster House to Members of the Oireachtas. While we joked about it at the time, it is really not funny, in the same way that alcohol abuse is not funny. When I see winos in the street, I say to myself there I could be but for the grace of God. Their lives are finished. They are not human beings any longer, as they exist in an almost vegetative state. The only solace they get is through the efforts of compassionate people who try to help them in their hour of misery. That is not funny, nor is a battered woman who has suffered as a result of these substances, whether it is alcohol or drugs. There is no glamour in this and it is not funny either. We have to take the comedy out of it. It was said comedians always relied on the drunkard for most of their punch lines. Making jokes about people with a stammer is no longer politically correct; neither should making jokes about abuse of alcohol or drugs. We can be so politically correct on other issues, ones which can be of infinitesimally small import. Let us be politically correct where drugs are concerned also.

The national drugs strategy is vital. It has been running for just two years and has five more to go. I compliment Senator Brian Hayes on the responsible manner in which he made his contribution. There is no political kudos for any of us in this issue. It should be evident to the general public that all Departments, political parties, the media etc. are united in their approach. The pop and entertainment idols must also play their part. We must all work together because we are dealing with a scourge that is getting out of hand.

We should give credit where it is due. I give great credit to the Minister of State because as Senator Brian Hayes said, he is at the coalface. He is not talking theory. He knows exactly what he has to contend with. I also give credit to the Garda and customs officers who have had successes. There is no doubt that the detection rate has been very good but drugs are still getting through.

It is not only deprived people or people in the entertainment world who are part of this culture. The problem is hitting all sections of society but the victims are largely young people. In the last few days I saw a reference to the fact that a certain person was the oldest to have died from the use of a particular drug.

Drugs are available, not only in urban areas but in rural areas as well. Therefore, we must all work together in unison. There must be a unified approach covering the areas the Minister of State has mentioned and some of the areas to which I have referred.

The Minister of State referred to community-based pilot projects. The Government now has an opportunity to consider seriously the needs of our young people, who are the future of the country. I am convinced that many of the problems of youth intervention arise from the interdepartmental approach. I have already called for the setting up of a Department of Youth Affairs. Young people's problems are discussed by adults, not by young people. By involving young people in community-based projects and ensuring that they are heard in democratically elected fora and through the implementation of the Youth Work Act 2001, we will be in a better position to address their concerns.

Although the dissemination of information to schools is valuable, young people are more receptive to information gained in community-based education fora. This was demonstrated in Letterkenny in a community-based project run by youth leaders where there was not a formal school structure. Only through proper mechanisms, a Department of Youth Affairs, the full implementation of the Youth Work Act 2001 and the employment of hands-on youth workers in each area, whether urban or rural, will we be able to take a co-ordinated approach to long-term intervention. We are not listening to young people, we are not involving them and we are alienating them from society.

As a long-term plan, the Government must seriously consider the establishment of a Department of Youth Affairs. Interdepartmental structures merely add further to the layers of bureaucracy. We have seen meetings, meetings about meetings, people not turning up to meetings and nothing being done. Reports, and reports about reports, are produced and consultants are hired to find out what the other consultants have said. Projects like those alluded to by the Minister of State and by Senator Brian Hayes, and which will probably be alluded to by Senator Brady, run by hands-on community workers and gardaí who can befriend young people, are the only form of successful intervention.

I do not have first-hand experience of the major heroin-related problems that exist in the major cities but I am confident that my proposal is the only possible successful long-term strategy for dealing with the problems of young people. I have called on previous occasions for the establishment of a Department of Youth Affairs and on the adjournment of the House this evening I will call for the full implementation of the Youth Work Act 2001.

Donegal County Council has set up the first democratically elected youth council. The council, which was elected through the schools, is a wheel which might inform the Minister of State's Department of some of the solutions proposed by young people. The only way forward is to use the mechanisms available to involve young people.

I cannot speak about the problems of heroin because I do not have first-hand experience of it. I have never, to my knowledge, met a heroin addict. However, I can call for funding to be dispersed to the regions rather than focused in the larger centres. In a town like Letterkenny, which now has gateway status and may gain city status in the future, drugs may not be a problem today but they will be tomorrow.

The specially designed FÁS programmes, community employment programmes, which come under the strategy, have proven particularly effective, with over 800 participants at present. It is also encouraging to see the large numbers of recovering addicts who are finding worthwhile productive employment – another sign of the effectiveness of the present policy. Over 120 task force projects have been mainstreamed, many of which have contributed to the normalisation of estates and flat complexes, particularly in the inner cities. The 340 projects being developed around the country, in conjunction with the young persons' facilities and services fund, aimed specifically at the whole area of youth involvement and sport and recreation are also having a huge effect. Work continues in the prisons and progress is being made on drug treatment for prisoners. The health authorities and the prison services are working closely in this area.

The recent report of the pilot drugs court in Dublin's northside is encouraging and is succeeding in diverting people from the criminal justice system and encouraging them into more effective treatment and rehabilitation programmes. As Senator Brian Hayes said, a debate is taking place on the impact and effectiveness of the methadone programme in general. It is good that this debate is taking place now. I encourage the national advisory committee to establish as quickly as possible the areas within the methadone programmes which are causing problems. We have all heard the stories of people collecting prescribed methadone and selling it to buy other drugs. These are areas that have to be looked at.

Many are of the opinion that the only effective treatment for addiction is a totally drug-free approach, while others support the substitution method. I am of the opinion that there is room for both methods – methadone suits some people while a substance-free approach suits others. I had a meeting recently with a group called Saoilse in the inner city who take the totally drug-free approach. There were 15 young people, teenagers to mid-twenties, all of whom accepted that the method they were using was suitable but agreed it does not work in every case. There is scope for both methods. Irrespective of the method employed, the groups and aid agencies dealing with addicts need to be encouraged and resourced properly to continue the work. The approach being taken in this strategy is the correct one.

In recent years the Garda has proven hugely successful in tackling the supply chain for drugs. Almost daily we hear of major seizures of illicit drugs. There is now unprecedented co-operation between law enforcement agencies in Europe and around the world. The Criminal Assets Bureau has been a highly successful weapon in the fight against those who trade on people's misery by supplying drugs. I encourage the Department constantly to review the laws in this area.

Recent studies by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, based in University College Dublin, have revealed an alarming increase in the number of specimens taken by gardaí which contain a mixture of alcohol and drugs, mainly cannabis, but including cocaine and other drugs. These studies have shown, when the appropriate tests are carried out, an upward trend in this area.

The campaigns in recent years against drink driving have had an effect and everyone would accept there has been a cultural change in attitudes to drinking and driving. I urge the Minister to initiate a similar campaign in the area of drugs and driving and to continue to support the research which is under way in this area. I commend the Department and the Minister on the strategy. I have no doubt that between 2001 and 2008 it will have a serious effect on this whole issue.

A drug which the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, is looking at is alcohol. We have had several debates about tobacco in this House and in the other House. Apparently further draconian measures are being introduced. The Joint Committee on Health and Children, of which I was a member, produced a lengthy and comprehensive report on tobacco but to date we have not given the same attention to alcohol. Without a doubt alcohol is the biggest drug problem in the country. I accept that in some large urban centres and, indeed, some smaller ones, soft drugs are being peddled and are creating difficulties. Tackling soft and hard drugs, such as heroin, is a major problem.

In every townland, there are young people who, three to four nights per week, consume levels of alcohol which are seriously injurious to their health. This is the greatest problem facing young people. We have come to the stage where a young person is not socially acceptable unless they consume huge amounts of alcohol. It is tragic that we believe it is quite normal to go out to drink not for the sake of having a drink, but to get drunk. As Members of the Oireachtas, we should hang our heads in shame that we have allowed such a situation to develop. There is a romantic connection between the Irish and drink and we have come to accept that we cannot have entertainment or enjoy ourselves without alcohol. That perception has become a reality and it needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency.

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, streets in towns and cities are teeming with young people who have consumed huge and dangerous amounts of alcohol. Many Members have travelled to various European towns and capital cities. It is extraordinary that at weekends, streets in German or Scandinavian towns are deserted by 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. These are so-called liberal countries in which we are told everything goes, but they have an entirely different attitude to alcohol and the people of those countries appear to be able to enjoy life and themselves without becoming involved in a drinking culture similar to that which obtains here. This drinking culture needs to be analysed, attacked and reversed as a matter of urgency.

The Minister of State referred to the national drugs strategy which is of immense importance in most parts of the country, particularly large urban centres. In conjunction with the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, the Minister of State will have to look more closely at the alcohol problem because every townland and town is affected. It is not too late to cry halt, but leadership is required from the Government. There will be cynics who will say that the taxes brought in by alcohol almost keep the country ticking over. That is a short-sighted financial analysis because the cost to the country in terms of work days lost, the hospitalisation of people and the economic and social suffering at family level is much greater than the taxes raised. As a society, we are serious net losers as a result of our alcohol culture and alcohol dependency.

Of all the drugs and social problems about which we speak, alcohol is by far the greatest menace. It is a problem not only from the point of view of health, but it results in serious crime and public order problems. As public representatives, we are made aware of these issues daily. The public is right to expect us to tackle the issue. We are only six months or so into the term of this Oireachtas and, presumably, we will all be here for at least three to four years. I hope that, during this term, all the parties will unite on the issue of alcohol abuse and put it at the top of the health and drugs agenda.

We should try to bring some degree of maturity to the way in which we, as a society, look at alcohol. If one speaks in this House or at a local authority meeting or if one makes public statements about alcohol abuse, it is seen as if one is trying to set up some sort of anti-fun group. As we all know, people can enjoy themselves and be entertained without consuming huge amounts of alcohol. I hope the Minister of State will look seriously at this grave problem.

While we can quantify the number of people who die from drug overdoses each year, it is not as easy to quantify the number of people who suffer in some way as a result of alcohol abuse, although the number is considerable. Those who suffer, include the person who consumes the alcohol and, more importantly, their spouse and family. The advertisements by Barnardos on alcohol abuse and the excessive consumption of alcohol are quite effective. They try to speak from the point of view of children. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of people in this country are affected, to some degree, by the excessive consumption of alcohol. This problem needs to be tackled urgently.

My colleagues referred to some of the initiatives, including the provision of community centres, youth workers, sports workers, etc. These initiatives are positive and welcome. If we want to give young people an alternative to drug use and abuse – whether of alcohol or other drugs – we must ensure community and sporting facilities are available. It must be conceded that over the past four to five years generous levels of grant aid were made available through the national lottery fund and most communities have benefited to some degree. Given that the economic situation is not as positive as it was over the past five or six years, there is a possibility that sports and community facilities could suffer when cutbacks are being considered. We must argue that investment in sport, youth and community facilities will pay rich, long-term dividends from a preventative and developmental point of view. I hope we will not see cutbacks in this area.

I wish the Minister of State well in his endeavours and I apologise if I drifted beyond the terms of the statements. While the drugs issue is important, the biggest drug with which this country has failed to deal is alcohol. It is not too late to make an effort, but it would want to commence immediately.

I welcome the young people's facilities and services fund. I am aware of a sports club in my area which obtained funding under the scheme which is being matched with funding from another Department in order to provide the facilities needed. I welcome the fact that it is able to provide dressingroom facilities in a county council park. Funding for sports facilities is provided on a very piecemeal basis. There needs to be an overall strategy in this regard. Whoever decides to apply for funding for sports facilities is the one who obtains it but it is not done in a strategic way. There should be an overall strategy in regard to sports and community facilities, while at the same time implementing the drugs strategy.

Even though I am aware he will not have the information to hand, I want to raise with the Minister of State the issue of a secondary school in my area. It was to be provided with a sports centre extension through the Department of Education and Science which was to be co-funded by the local drugs task force. It has now been put on hold as a result of the cutbacks in the Department. These projects should be given priority. While all projects are important, if a school was to be provided with facilities under the drugs task force strategy, it should not be put on the long finger. I will speak to the Minister of State on the matter on another occasion.

I agree with those speakers who referred to the importance of education. The reality is that most young people know much more about drugs than the rest of us. They have a blasé rather than negative attitude to drugs. Many who would not smoke for health reasons have no problem taking drugs in clubs and so on. Young people need to be educated about the dangers involved in taking drugs. The same applies to drinking and smoking. The campaign on smoking shows how successful this approach can be in educating people on the negative side of a particular addiction.

Many of my constituents are recovering drug addicts who should be provided with opportunities to make the best of themselves. Education is very important in this regard. Computer education should be targeted at areas where there are problems. People need to obtain skills and confidence to seek employment and so on in order that they will not go down the road of taking drugs and becoming involved in anti-social behaviour.

Housing is a very important aspect of the drugs programme. This was not mentioned in the Minister of State's presentation. Those coming off drugs need to have security which cannot be the case if they are homeless or cannot get permanent accommodation. Councils do not want the hassle of dealing with recovering drug addicts which makes it very difficult for them to find accommodation. Very often they are sent out into the streets to be dragged back into the drugs culture. Perhaps councils should provide particular types of accommodation for those in a transition period. It may be a lot to ask them to take on board but it is something we should promote.

More facilities for teenagers – not just sports centres – must be provided. Members mentioned other European countries where young people do not have the same drink culture. We do not provide the types of facilities for young people available in other countries – I do not necessarily mean publicly funded facilities. While on holidays in Italy, I noticed that many young people would hang out in cafés at night and then head off to a club but they did not drink.

Senator Bradford said earlier that alcohol is a major problem throughout the country. CCTV systems are being installed in many towns at great expense. The Government is providing funds to chambers of commerce in some towns to meet the cost of installation, but it cannot afford to provide CCTV systems in all towns.

We need to be conscious of the reasons people drink so much. Why do they feel the need to behave in a violent manner when they flow on to the streets in the early morning? Some people feel it is necessary to damage the wing mirror of a car, to break a shop window or to smack an innocent bystander in the face. Why do some people feel the need to stab or shoot other people, as has happened on many occasions? Can these problems be attributed to peer pressure, drugs, drink or a lack of gardaí? It is probably a combination of all these things and many more. The problems I have mentioned can be seen every weekend. Parents, politicians, the Garda Síochána and those directly involved are responsible for solving them. Everybody who saw the "Prime Time" documentary was astounded, but similar drunken behaviour can be seen on the streets on Friday and Saturday nights.

I agree with Senators who said they have grave reservations about drugs that are seen as being less harmful. We should not allow any drugs at all. People who smoke strong cigarettes may wean themselves onto weaker cigarettes, but that does not mean they have given up cigarettes. Reduction in the strength of cigarettes is not the answer for such people, as they still need to take the drug. Nobody seems to have the answer to these problems, but it seems that alcohol is playing a huge role. Many people who consume alcoholic products move on to taking drugs, as they are seeking a stronger kick. I do not think the answer is for people to look for a weaker kick, as they should be trying to eliminate such needs entirely. I would like to see a drug-free society.

We are unable to control the problems we can see, so we certainly have no control over the things we cannot see. Nobody seems to have the answer to these problems. The streets are an absolute disgrace in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings. There is not a sufficiently large Garda presence. When many gardaí are on the streets at night, it is noticeable that there is less violence and less damage to property. People have to be punished financially if we are to change their behaviour, because such punishment hurts them. They will think twice before misbehaving if they, or their parents, have to pay a substantial fine. The law should be enforced in a way that affects people's pockets. I do not deny that people with serious addiction problems have to be treated in suitable facilities and helped to return to society.

If we allow the problems to which I refer to grow, we will encounter more serious difficulties that require more serious remedies. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, for coming before the House.

There are now many family support groups which some believe the strategy does not recognise to the maximum extent possible. My Department might not agree but it is the feeling I have got when I have visited local groups. The strategy does recognise family support groups, some of which are now branching out and doing very good work. Expertise has developed at local level among families which may have had serious problems and related deaths. There are very good people who have learned on the ground and give good support. I attended a recent event involving a network of family support groups which pulls the groups together and helps them to support each other. That is an interesting development.

Senator Ó Murchú spoke about role models and the reasons for taking drugs. As it is difficult to get through to young people on this issue, role models could help by speaking of the dangers of drugs. Some dabble in drugs, perhaps at student level, and manage to escape again. In a survey of students very few of those using soft drugs such as cannabis thought it was harmful. They saw themselves as dabbling for a while and then giving it up to concentrate on their studies. Those using it thought they could walk away and that it was something that could be messed around with for a couple of months. Sadly, while drugs may do some no harm, others get trapped and do not walk away. That is the difficulty.

There is a campaign to glamourise drug use and also a misguided campaign to promote drugs for medicinal use which could happen. There is a debate at medical level as to whether cannabis or other drugs may be of benefit for particular medical problems. However, allowing drug use for medicinal reasons is very different from throwing open the drugs market. It is a false argument.

Alcohol was mentioned by several speakers. It is strange the way the issue is evolving. The drugs strategy is about illegal drugs, not alcohol. If one told the members of a drugs task force five years ago that it should have responsibility for alcohol, they would have hit the roof. They would have said the importance of tackling illegal drugs was being downplayed. However, there has been a change and local drugs task forces are beginning to involve themselves with alcohol and see the connection between it and illegal drugs.

With the setting up of the regional drugs task forces, the feedback is that alcohol presents the biggest problem in rural areas also. Alcohol strategy is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children whereas the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs co-ordinates activities regarding illegal drugs. However, it is possible that the two areas could be combined in the future in keeping with the demand coming from the community. Five years ago it would have been said the importance of tackling illegal drugs was being downplayed if they were put together. This is the growing view of the important community sector. At present they come under the aegis of various Departments.

Senator McHugh referred to Letterkenny and said he had not met any drug addicts there. I recently met a group from County Donegal – I am not sure if they were concerned with heroin addicts – who told me of a problem that is perhaps associated with Derry and the fringes of the city. Heroin may not always be the problem in provincial areas, but other drugs are involved, be they medical, cannabis or cocaine.

Senator McHugh asked why there is no Department of youth affairs. The structure of the Government does not allow for that. Likewise, there is no Department for the elderly. He criticised the inter-departmental working group. It works well as it provides a mechanism for representatives from the different Departments and agencies to come together to give an account of their stewardship. It is the way to proceed because it makes those involved account for their progress before their peers.

Senator Brady referred to the need for sports and recreation facilities and the situation in prisons. Much of the strategy is aimed at targeting those at risk, including those leaving prison and the homeless. A recent conference linked drug abuse and homelessness. If those at risk do not have stable backgrounds on which to fall back, they are likely to re-encounter their problems.

However, too often suburban agencies, such as those in Tallaght or Clondalkin, solve their problems by sending homeless people into the city centre. I recently visited a suburban centre that was attempting to address the problem by providing temporary accommodation in the form of a hostel or such like. Sending the homeless to the city centre creates too much pressure, with the result that there can be too many hostels. Every area must do its share in tackling drug abuse and homelessness because it is easier to support those at risk if they are helped near their home communities. They can be more easily stabilised, which increases their prospects of resuming decent lives.

Those dealing with the homeless outside Dublin maintain that alcohol rather than drug abuse is the bigger issue. Senator Brady referred to the need to provide greater scrutiny of driving while under the influence of drugs. I am not sure if the system is geared to catching drivers who take drugs.

Ultimately, much of what can be done in this area comes down to education. While an argument may be made for more gardaí, it would be impossible to ensure that the Garda Síochána is big enough to police every nightclub or pub. Our fundamental concern is with educating people to an awareness of the harm caused by drug abuse and giving them the self-confidence to make decisions. That is a key aspect.

The enforcement agencies play a role and drug seizures may increase, but we can never stop drugs from coming into the country. People will always have the temptation put before them and our main concern, therefore, is to give them the confidence and the knowledge to make decisions. This requires them to be aware of the dangers.

Educational programmes, such as the shocking drunk driving advertisements, are important. It has been suggested that there be similar campaigns to cover drug abuse in an attempt to frighten people. Another suggestion is to bring schoolchildren to areas of the city where drug abuse is widespread and to let them see those who have fallen victim to it. Sometimes, such shock tactics work, but fundamentally there is a need to impart knowledge so that people are capable of making the right decisions for themselves.

Senator Tuffy referred to the young people's facilities fund. It has done much good work although there is debate, even in my Department, about deciding who is at risk. For example, who should be helped in Clondalkin, Ballymun or the inner city? Is it the young person who has become a victim of drug misuse or are all young people in the area at risk? Many projects are being evaluated on that basis. For example, some projects in my constituency, such as football clubs, are annoyed that funding seems channelled mainly at drug abuse. They sometimes ask if it is necessary to be on drugs before money is provided. We do not want that impression to become widespread.

It is much more economical if people can be reached at an early stage by providing them with alternative healthy lifestyles. While my background is in sports, a number of other activities could be developed, be it in the arts centres or youth clubs. The sports officers provided by the fund probably gave the best value in terms of community, addiction and development workers. Some great people are working to get children, especially those in single parent homes, involved in sports and other activities after school.

The ongoing debate centred on who is at risk is also concerned with whether funding should be directed solely at those who are already trapped or if it should also apply to those who are in danger. It should be directed at both aspects and should take account of local circumstances. The fund was meant to target specific areas where the problem was most acute. That is why a separate fund was created rather than taking it from the overall general capital programme. Some very good work has been done and I have visited the results in various constituencies.

In many instances the fund is being used in conjunction with other funds. In an ideal world, there would be just one Government fund allocated to top up the community or local contribution. That does not happen in the suburbs of Dublin which tend to have just one social class. It is very difficult for such communities, but it might be different in a country town where there is a range of social classes. In many cases the different Government funds act as the community funds. We are trying to address that so people will get funding from only one source, but it is difficult to row back after 15 or 20 years of doing otherwise.

Senator Paddy Burke spoke about people drinking until the early hours of the morning. A few years ago, when people wanted pub opening hours to be extended, their theory was that the customers would not all spill out, to use the Senator's phrase, at the same time, but at 11.30 p.m., 12.30 a.m., 1.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. In some places customers find it hard to leave until they are thrown out at the last minute, which is not what was supposed to happen.

There is no doubt that there is a huge alcohol problem. Some of the people who were shouting and roaring for more freedoms for young and old people five and ten years ago might now realise that we gave too much freedom too quickly and that people find it difficult to cope with it. Young people have too much money in their pockets, which they might not have in the coming years. There might be a certain—