Seanad debates

Wednesday, 28 April 2004

Report of National Advisory Committee on Drugs: Statements.

 

11:00 am

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to address the Seanad in my capacity as Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy. I wish to provide the House with an update on the progress made to date in implementing the strategy and, in particular, the results from the latest bulletin in the drug prevalence survey, which was launched last week. To put this bulletin in context, it contained the second set of results to be released from the first ever all-Ireland drug prevalence survey. It was commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, which comes under the aegis of my Department, and the drug and alcohol information and research unit in Northern Ireland. Field work for the survey was carried out between October 2002 and April 2003 by MORI/MRC and the final sample was 8,442, of which 4,925 were in the Republic of Ireland and 3,517 in Northern Ireland.

The survey was carried out according to guidelines set out by the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction. It is the first survey in Ireland on this topic and of this magnitude to have been carried out in this fashion. Although the results give us excellent baseline figures, given that it is the first survey of its kind there are no previous surveys with which it can be compared.

The main focus of the survey was to obtain prevalence rates for key illegal drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin, by three measures: lifetime prevalence — the basic question being whether respondents had ever used a drug; recent use — have respondents used a drug in the year prior to the survey; and current use — have respondents used a drug in the month prior to the survey. Similar prevalence questions were also asked about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

The first bulletin from the survey was released last October and it presented key findings from the survey on overall drug misuse. A number of key findings were published in that bulletin. One in five people, 19% of those surveyed, reported ever using an illegal drug. One in 18, or 5.6%, reported use in the last year and one in 33,or 3%, reported use in the last month. Cannabis was the most widely reported illegal drug being used, with 18% of those surveyed having used it in their lifetime, 5% in the last year and 2.6% in the last month.

The prevalence of other illegal drugs is lower and largely confined to younger age groups. For example, those aged 15-24 had the highest prevalence rates for most illegal drugs in the last 12 months, while those aged 35 and over reported minimal rates of use.

More men than women use illegal drugs. The difference varies with different drugs, but women and older people report higher rates of sedative, tranquilliser and anti-depressant use, which are legally prescribed.

The figures in bulletin No. 2, which was launched last week, give a regional breakdown of drug prevalence based on health board areas. These figures give us significantly more detail and add to our knowledge and understanding of drug use across the country. The bulletin included a number of key findings. Lifetime illegal drug prevalence varied between 11% and 29% across health board areas. The lowest rate of recent illegal drug use, at 3%, was recorded in the North Western Health Board area, while the highest rate recorded, at 8%, was in the Northern Area Health Board area, including the north side of Dublin. Those figures are for recent use, which is within the last year. Prevalence rates of current drug use varied from 0.5% in the North Western Health Board area, to 5% in the Northern Area Health Board region. The figure of 0.5% is only one in 200, while 5% represents one in 20.

Prevalence rates — lifetime, recent and current — tended to be higher in the eastern part of the country. Cannabis was the main illegal drug used on a lifetime, recent or current basis in all health board areas. Prevalence rates for cannabis were at least twice as high as those for other illegal drugs. In almost all health board areas the level of recent and current cannabis use was higher among young adults aged 15-34, than among older adults aged 35-64.

Prevalence rates for other illegal drugs were considerably lower than for cannabis across all areas and periods, including lifetime, recent and current. For example, the highest prevalence rate for recent use of ecstasy was 3% and cocaine in powdered format 2%, compared to 8% for cannabis.

The profile of illegal drug users showed a great deal of consistency across health boards. In almost all areas, prevalence rates were higher among men than women, and they were higher among young people than older people.

According to the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction's model questionnaire, questions on alcohol and tobacco use were also asked. In addition, prevalence rates for these substances are also provided in the bulletin. Inter-relationships between substance use, as part of poly-drug use, will be further explored in a future bulletin.

The information in this survey is an essential tool for Government in responding to the drug problem. It provides excellent baseline information which is very useful in the context of the ongoing implementation of the strategy. It shows us that the vast majority of the general population has never used any illegal drugs and that a small percentage is currently using illegal drugs. The results from the recent bulletin highlight the fact that drug misuse is not confined to our major cities. It is an issue for communities, both urban and rural, throughout the country. The Government is determined to tackle it at every level through the implementation of the national drugs strategy which covers the 2001-08 period.

Senators will be aware that the national drugs strategy brings into a single framework all those involved in drug misuse policy. It arose from an extensive consultation process involving almost 190 submissions, eight regional seminars and meetings with 34 separate groups. In recognition of the complexity of the issue, the strategy contains over 100 separate actions to becarried out by a range of Departments and agencies. Those actions fall under what we call the four pillars, namely, supply reduction, whichgenerally involves the Garda and customs, prevention, which covers education and awareness campaigns, treatment, which involves rehabilitation, and research, which involves the National Advisory Committee on Drugs.

Since my appointment as Minister of State I have been very interested in meeting with and hearing the experiences of recovering drug misusers and those who are working in local communities to address this problem. In this regard I have visited a number of projects in local drugs task force areas and the message I have got continually is that there has been much progress in recent years but that there still is much work to be done. I assure the House that the Government is aware of this and that we will continue to prioritise this issue.

Clearly, with a strategy as broad as this, it is very important to have structures and processes in place to ensure the effective implementation of the strategy. The interdepartmental group on drugs, which I chair, meets regularly to discuss the progress being made by Departments and agencies in implementing the actions which have been set out for them in the strategy. The IDG contains representatives from a range of Departments and State agencies and its role is to bring to the attention of the Cabinet Sub-committee on Social Inclusion any identified issues which may impede the progress of the strategy.

In addition, my Department, in close consultation with those involved in the delivery of the actions in the strategy, prepares six-monthly progress reports which I present to the Cabinet sub-committee. Also, a report covering the first three years of the strategy is planned for publication in June and a mid-term review of the strategy will also be completed by the end of the year. This will allow for a refocusing of the strategy if necessary.

My Department also recently published a critical implementation path for the strategy. The purpose of the CIP is to map out how the actions in the strategy are being delivered and to set timeframes for their delivery. The CIP also shows the obstacles which Departments and agencies have identified as they move forward. In this way it is possible to identify potential problems in advance and thus endeavour to resolve them.

I will outline the main areas in which progress has been made since the inception of the strategy. As I said previously, the strategy has a long timeframe, but despite this I am happy to say that there is much progress to report.

Progress has been made on a range of actions under the prevention pillar of the strategy. These are the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science and the health promotion unit of the Department of Health and Children. In particular, guidelines to assist schools in the development of a drugs policy were issued in May 2002. The Department of Education and Science implemented substance misuse prevention programmes in all schools in the LDTF areas during the academic year, 2001-02. The social personal and health programme, or SPHE, has been on the curricula of all primary and secondary schools since September 2003. This work is being supported by the SPHE support service, which has recruited additional trainers and support officers.

However, school is only one place where young people can and do learn about drugs and it is imperative that there is proper information available to all our young people. The Department of Health and Children launched the first phase of a national awareness campaign on 15 May 2003. The campaign features television and radio advertising supported by an information brochure and website, all designed to promote greater awareness and communication about the drugs issue in Ireland. This first phase targeted the general population, while the second phase, launched in October, is aimed at parents. Another phase of TV advertisements was also recently aired.

The consultation process which helped us to arrive at the national drugs strategy identified a clear need to progress towards a more fully integrated treatment and rehabilitation service. A wide range of actions is currently being taken by the health boards and others to address this need. The treatment of addicted young people is an important issue and the treatment of those under 18 is particularly sensitive. In this regard, the Department of Health and Children chairs a group whose task is to develop a protocol for the treatment of under 18s and much progress has been made in this legally complex area. A report on the work of this group is nearing completion.

In addition, that Department is currently overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the working group set up to examine the use of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines, which include valium. This group reported in December 2002.

The national drugs strategy also set an end-2002 target to increase the number of methadone treatment places to 6,500. I am pleased that there has been significant progress in this area and currently there are approximately 6,900 places. This is a substantial increase on the December 2000 figure of 5,032. In addition, the numbers on waiting lists awaiting treatment have decreased significantly. There are also approximately 1,100 people on the special FÁS community employment scheme for recovering drug misusers.

On the supply reduction side, Garda operations continue to result in significant drug seizures with an estimated street value of approximately €49 million seized in 2002 and provisional indications for 2003 well exceed this figure. Both the gardaí and the customs authorities remain on track to achieve their drug seizure targets as set out in the national drugs strategy. Street level dealing is being tackled by specific Garda operations such as Clean Street and Nightcap. Customs and Excise has launched a coastal watch programme and has implemented a number of measures to enhance drugs detection capability at points of entry.

I am also aware of the evidence of an increase in the prevalence of cocaine use, particularly through local drugs task forces and the work of the NACD. Figures from the drugs prevalence survey show that 3.1% of the population has never used cocaine, 1.1% used it in the past 12 months and 0.3% used it in the past month, although there are significant regional variations. Compared to similar surveys undertaken in other European countries, these figures suggest that Ireland is roughly average in terms of use. In addition, the latest numbers presenting for treatment are still very low and, in total, make up approximately 1% of those in treatment. Similarly, the number of cocaine-related offences remains relatively small compared to other drugs and, according to the 2002 Garda annual report, account for approximately 5.5% of all such offences. It is significant that in the survey we launched last week based on health board areas, the Northern Area Health Board was the area with the greatest misuse of illegal drugs generally, but the leading area for the misuse of cocaine, across all three categories, was the east coast region. That is interesting.

The increase in Ireland appears to coincide with an increase in the availability and use of cocaine in Europe generally as a result of increased production, particularly in Colombia, and a consequential drop in the street price. However, I assure the House that I am keeping the matter of cocaine use under examination and in particular it can be examined in the mid-term review of the strategy.

It is vital that high quality information relating to the complex problem of drugs misuse is available. For this reason, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, the NACD, was set up in 2000 to advise the Government in relation to the prevalence, treatment and consequences of problem drug misuse in Ireland. The committee, whose membership comprises a range of academic, community, statutory and voluntary interests, is currently overseeing an agreed programme of research.

The committee has published an overview of the current research into drug prevention as well as completing a review of prevalence information in Ireland and has also published a report on the effectiveness of bruprenorphine in the treatment of opiate dependence in December 2002. It also commissioned a longitudinal study on treatment outcomes in November 2002. Two bulletins from the population survey have been published and a third is planned later this year, while the 3-Source Capture Recapture report, the compilation of an estimate of the number of opiate users, was published in May last year. This estimated that there are approximately 12,500 opiate users in Dublin and approximately 2,000 in the rest of Ireland. The report, An Overview of Cocaine use in Ireland, was published in December last year and a review of the harm reduction mechanisms for injecting drug misusers in an Irish context is also under way.

In September 2002, as part of the implementation of its work programme, the NACD launched a community and voluntary research grant scheme to generate innovative community based drugs research. Five community groups are currently working on research projects.

In addition to specific actions under the strategy, my Department has responsibility for the work of the local drugs task forces. The task forces were first set up in 1997 in the areas experiencing the worst levels of drugs misuse. These task forces operate in 14 areas at present, 12 in Dublin, one in Cork, and one in Bray, which was designated a task force area in 2000.

All of these local drugs task forces are currently implementing their second round of action plans. In total, the Government has allocated approximately €65 million to implement the projects contained in the plans of the task forces since 1997. Under these plans, the task forces provide a range of drug programmes and services in the area of supply reduction, treatment, rehabilitation, awareness, prevention and education.

In addition to the funding which has been made available under the task force plans, more than €11.5 million was provided under the premises initiative. This is designed to address the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects, the majority of which are based in the local drugs task force areas.

The young people's facilities and services fund is another very important initiative for which I have responsibility. It operates in the 14 local drugs task force areas and in the urban centres of Limerick, Galway, Carlow and Waterford. The main aim of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people into sports and recreational facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance misuse. To date, approximately €72 million had been allocated for this purpose. In this context, I recently announced grants of approximately €13 million under the second round of allocations under the fund, over half of which are in respect of capital developments.

In broad terms, approximately 450 facility and services projects are being supported under the fund. These initiatives fall under seven broad headings, namely, the building, renovating or fitting out of community centres, youth facilities and sports clubs; a number of purpose-built youth centres; the appointment of more than 85 youth and outreach workers; the employment of ten sports workers; support for a wide variety of community-based prevention education programmes; 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.

Diversionary activities have an important role to play in the development of young people who are at risk of becoming involved in substance misuse. The young people's facilities and services fund aims to provide such activities in those areas that need them most.

The positive and active involvement of local communities has played a significant part in the success of the 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. This needs to be 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 with the wider problem of social inclusion. It is of vital importance that the communities most affected by the drug problem have been provided with the opportunity to have their voices heard in the development of drugs policies.

Given that the 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 these areas. The recent bulletin highlights the fact that drug use is not confined to our major cities but is present in all regions. These task forces operate in each of the regional health board areas throughout the country, including each of the three that comprise the Eastern Regional Health Authority. The regional task forces are designed to ensure an integrated and co-ordinated response to the problem of drug misuse in the regions. They will represent a team-based response to illicit drug use.

Each task force is chaired by an independent chairperson and will be 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.

The national drugs strategy team has prepared guidelines on its operation in consultation with the relevant sectors and agencies. All of the regional drugs task forces have had their initial meetings and continue to meet regularly. It is hoped that as well as examining the availability of drug services and related resources, the regional drugs task forces will also provide up-to-date information on the nature and extent of drug use in their regions. They are currently working on mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in the area, as well as the services already available in the area, with a view to co-ordinating these existing services and addressing gaps in service provision. The figures in the bulletin released last week will assist them in assessing the prevalence of drug use in each regional drugs task force area. The idea is that each regional drugs task force will bring forward plans which match the particular problem in their area. As we have seen from last week's figures, these vary from health board area to health board area.

These are some of the main areas where progress has been achieved since the launch of the national drugs strategy. The problem of the misuse of drugs is a hugely complex one. As Members are aware, there is not just one drug problem, rather many different drugs are used by different people in different circumstances. Addressing this issue requires responses from a range of agencies and service providers. As the publication by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs shows, drug use is in all regions of the country although the scale of the problem varies significantly from the east coast to the west.

We all have a responsibility in this area especially as politicians and legislators. We need to do our utmost to ensure we make a difference to those communities hardest hit by the problems of drug misuse.

The national drugs strategy covers the period up to 2008 and the mid-term evaluation of the strategy which we are carrying out this year will hopefully inform us on how to build further on the firm foundations which have been laid. Much progress has been made already, but we need to continue to put our efforts into driving the strategy forward. I look forward to hearing Members' contributions.

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for his comprehensive contribution. The National Advisory Committee on Drugs has produced a report. I wish to refer specifically to the North Western Health Board and highlight the fact that it has the lowest rate of substance misuse in the country, North and South. That is welcome. In recent years the North Western Health Board has operated an effective PR campaign and through the schools, teachers at primary and second level working in the area of drug awareness ought to receive commendation. There is no room for complacency in the area of drug abuse.

Schoolchildren as young as nine years of age are smoking. While smoking is not illegal, it is a gateway to the smoking of hash or cannabis. I have evidence from many throughout Europe, especially from the Scandinavian countries, that cannabis is a gateway to the use of other illicit drugs. I welcome the fact that the national drugs strategy is looking at the issue of awareness, which is the key at primary level continuing on to second level.

The Minister of State said that as politicians and legislators we all have a responsibility in this area. In Sweden the legislators have moved to make young people prime assets in its economy. Young people are prime assets of their country and its economy and should be treated as such. If young people are regarded as a primary asset, as they should be, and as a key to the future, we must do all in our power to ensure that they do not go down the road of drugs.

For many years we as legislators have used token gestures when dealing with young people. We have talked about involving young people and giving them a voice, bringing them back into the communities, using their creative expertise and encouraging them to work with older people but it has been token language for which we must all, and not just the Government, share responsibility. Young people must be engaged and the only way to engage them is to involve them in the democratic process. There are models of best practice both North and South, in County Fermanagh and in County Donegal, for example, where young people are democratically elected by their peers to a council forum. They deal with issues affecting the daily lives of young people.

In 1996 a youth seminar was held in the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny. It was the first congregation of young people in the county. The main theme of the seminar was that young people are being talked to but not being listened to. Young people want a voice. I acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, has her heart in the right place. I met her in Letterkenny where she addressed a group of young people. She is doing a nationwide tour. However, it smacks of tokenism when it is said that young people will be involved and helped. This does not go far enough. The Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, is talking to young people; she is not involving them or listening to their concerns. To go to Letterkenny and speak to an audience of approximately 300 young people is not engaging with them and I do not believe that is the way forward.

The Minister of State referred to state-of-the-art centres and they have been discussed at length at committee level. In order to help prevent at-risk young people from becoming involved in the drugs process, there are models of best practice. A state-of-the-art building situated in the Minister of State's constituency has been successful. However, rural areas are not mentioned in the report. Some young people in towns and villages and on the periphery of towns and villages in rural areas are not necessarily interested in the conventional recreational outlets of rural society, such as Gaelic football and soccer. Facilities must be provided for those who are not interested in conventional recreational sports. Young people are interested in the creative arts and music. We have an obligation to provide recreational facilities in a village with a population of approximately 300 or 400 or in a town with a population of approximately 1,000. We have an obligation to provide a room, although not necessarily a state-of-the-art building with basketball and water sports facilities, for example. Nevertheless, a building where young people can congregate with their peers in a supervised setting should be provided.

Young people aged from 16 to 24 will always state in questionnaires and surveys that they want to be in a supervised environment. They may not wish to be supervised by their parents but they want supervision, some form of rules or even self-discipline. It would be allowable for an 18 year old to supervise 16 year olds. A disciplined and supervised environment is required to avoid problems of anti-social behaviour and bullying.

In towns and villages throughout the country, from the Leas-Chathaoirleach's county of Mayo to the bottom of Kerry and up to the top at Malin Head, I do not believe it would cost a significant sum of money and it would help prevent young people from engaging in anti-social behaviour if there was one room available. A room could be rented and a person employed to engage the young people.

I have been canvassing with candidates in Letterkenny. In every estate on the outskirts of Letterkenny there are groups of three or four young people sitting on the doorstep of a vacant house or on the doorstep of their parents house. They have nothing to do and they are bored. All they ask is for somewhere to hang out and be with their friends, listen to music or play it or play snakes and ladders. They want to do the simple things but the key wish is to be with their peers in a supervised setting. I have emphasised this point at committee level. I communicate with young people on a daily basis and that is the point they make.

There are often complaints heard on local radio that young people are inclined to congregate at a focal point in the town. Shopkeepers complain about the young people being in the shops. They are not wanted in the shops because they are probably restricting business and are not spending money. The reason they congregate in these shops is because they have nowhere else to go. Facilities should be provided on an after-school basis, at lunch time or at the weekend.

I am delighted that Judge Haughton has decided to stay on in the drugs court. He has proven that the drugs court works. I commend his work. The figures may seem low and Judge Haughton stated on the radio that there have been 12 rehabilitated clients, but to have even one rehabilitation is important. There is an onus on all of us to help people come off drugs and be rehabilitated in the community.

The Minister of State did not attend the Fine Gael Ard-Fheis but he would have been made welcome if he had attended. He may attend in two years' time.

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I was not invited.

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Fine Gael)
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A motion was tabled for the extension of the drugs court on a nationwide basis. It has worked in north Dublin and it should be extended to cities such as Limerick and Cork and to Athlone and Letterkenny and other parts of Dublin. The Minister of State may say that it is a pilot scheme but Judge Haughton has proved that the pilot model has worked. It should be extended on a nationwide basis.

Mandatory sentencing is a very sensitive issue but it has been introduced. Anyone involved in the supply of drugs should be handed an automatic ten-year prison sentence. I acknowledge that there are reasons such as co-operation with the Garda Síochána which help avoid that sentence. I am aware that people are being caught supplying drugs and they are not receiving the appropriate sentence. There is no punishment for the crime. We must be harder on those who supply drugs. While I am aware this does not come under the responsibility of the Minister of State, these issues are interrelated and it is important we continue to recognise the correlation between crime and punishment.

Prevention is said to be better than cure, which is also important. Prevention will require providing outlets and a positive environment for young people. The Minister of State may or may not have another couple of years in office but the onus is on the Government to examine whether pilot models in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia would work here because I believe they would.

The youth council in Donegal is a forum for young people which sits in Donegal County Council, shadowing senior county councillors. The Minister of State and his team should visit the county, particularly as we approach such a nice time of year, to observe how the youth project operates and to listen to the honesty of the young people involved as they speak in the council chamber. As he will be aware, county council meetings can last for up to four days. Meetings of the youth council, however, provide interesting, honest debate conducted in a non-partisan manner.

I am sure a development worker in the council would facilitate a debate on drugs on behalf of the Minister of State, including a contribution from the North Western Health Board. I am aware he will be busy campaigning for the local elections and is well informed on these issues with which he deals on a daily basis, but such a debate would be a learning exercise for everybody involved. It is a matter for him to take my suggestion on board.

Photo of Cyprian BradyCyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)
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Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit and I thank him for his interest in this issue. It is clear from his opening words that he has a good grasp of the comprehensiveness and complexity of the drug problem in his constituency. He has also visited a number of drug treatment projects in my area and has seen at first hand how the national drugs strategy is working and its effects on the ground.

I welcome the first progress report of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and congratulate the team involved in this comprehensive analysis of the ongoing work in the field of research. As the Minister of State pointed out, research is one of the pillars of the national drugs strategy and an essential part of the effort to contain and minimise the effects of drug abuse.

The various sub-committees report under various headings, including consequences, early warning, emerging trends, prevalence, prevention and treatment and rehabilitation. The membership of the committee includes a comprehensive mix of people working on the ground, both statutory and voluntary, as well as academics and senior representatives from Departments. The report provides a comprehensive picture of the current position on drug abuse.

The three year programme is based on a good business plan and has produced a clear review of ongoing research, which is working towards better co-ordination in the provision and dissemination of information on drugs misuse. I welcome the fact that the research was undertaken in a spirit of collaboration and partnership with the relevant services and that the tenets of respect, dignity, transparency and fairness are at the centre of the committee's work. It is essential, particularly when one is addressing the specific area of addiction, that the people to whom one is talking and of whom one is asking questions are happy and comfortable with the approach taken. This is the only way to obtain a comprehensive response and adequate, usable information.

The workload of the committee is considerable and shows the scale and range of the problems. The survey commissioned into drug use will also cover tobacco and alcohol, which is essential given that these are legal but addictive substances which cause major problems for some individuals, although not everybody. To use an analogy, while some people can take or leave cannabis, for others it is a gateway drug into harder drugs. It is important, therefore, that all these substance are surveyed and I also welcome the survey of third level students.

It will also be important to establish a mortality rate among drug users. The question of what cause of death should be included on the death certificates of drug victims has been the subject of a debate in recent years. Drug overdose has been included as a cause of death only recently, whereas in the past all sorts of explanations were given on death certificates. This meant we had no comprehensive figures which would have allowed us to establish a precise mortality rate.

The progress report gives consideration to the experience of drug workers and community and family organisations, a vital aspect of research. To cultivate an atmosphere of co-operation, it is essential that those who participate in the research are assured of confidentiality, respect and safety.

If the street protests of the late 1980s and early 1990s showed us anything, it was that communities can only take so much and will come together to protect themselves when they are threatened or when their children's lives are put at risk. It took a major heroin epidemic in Dublin and the deaths of a number of young people to galvanise communities. It was through their efforts that the Government and agencies responsible in this area responded.

Despite the learning and dialogue of the past ten years, a number of young people have died as a direct result of drug abuse, others have contracted life-long debilitating diseases, children have suffered and families have broken up. The figures in the prevalence report show a marked contrast between areas. Prevalence in some areas is as low as 0.3%, but much higher in many others, specifically, as the Minister of State pointed out, in areas covered by the Northern Area Health Board.

A prevalence figure among the overall population of 5% may not appear particularly high, but when it is broken down by area one finds that many small areas, particularly in the north inner city, have much higher rates. Many of these areas have been particularly deprived over the years in the area of employment, housing and facilities and are now badly affected by drugs.

While the strategy has managed to tackle some of the problems in most of the worst affected area, there are signs of worrying developments in the drug culture. Recently, I have learned of an upsurge in cocaine use in the north inner city, particularly among young people. With a lead-in time for producing a research project of this nature of between 18 months to two years, it is not surprising that it does not record a rapid increase in the numbers of young people using cocaine. I met members of a group on Monday which had carried out a survey of drugs treatment projects around the north and south inner city. Up to 92% of its clients were using cocaine.

The figures are masked because the current trend is to mix cocaine with heroin and other forms of opium. While the figures give a picture they do not give a focused picture if they are broken down into local areas. This is where the local drugs task forces are successful as they have local people working on the ground who report directly to them. That is delivered to the Minister's office which reports back to the committee on social inclusion. This is where policy is formulated.

It is essential that the mid-term review gives special attention to those areas which have suffered the most over the years, although I accept that it has to be done on a national basis. I refer to areas such as the north inner-city, Ballymun and Finglas. Huge resources have been pumped into these areas. A state-of-the-art multi-million pound complex opened recently in Cabra as a result of the young person's services and facilities fund. This was aimed at getting young people involved and off the street. This complex has changing rooms, gym facilities and an indoor arena but it does not cater exclusively for sports. There are also dance studios, computer rooms and rooms for education. Kids will not go there of their own accord as they have to be attracted. They have to be given a reason to get away from the drugs culture and out of the cycle that starts with teenage smoking and drinking and moves on to cannabis and so on. Many have gone down that road, starting innocently and ending up in trouble. Much has been done and any of the organisations will say so.

There are concerns about the strategy of funding for the drugs task forces. The system was put in place to ring-fence funds at the beginning and it is essential that it continues. In some areas, the funding made available by the Department is not ring-fenced and goes directly to the health boards. It therefore ends up in the central budgets for the health boards and is eventually reduced on the ground.

Users tend to be more aggressive when they take cocaine as the high apparently does not last as long as heroin and therefore they need more. They are prone to depression and in a few cases in my constituency this has led to suicide. Deep vein thrombosis, abscesses and so on are the results of cocaine abuse but there is no medical treatment for cocaine addiction. There is no equivalent to methadone and buprenorphine has not yet been clinically proven to work. These are issues that have to be examined in the review.

It would be a shame to lose any of the lessons learned from the heroin epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s in Dublin. The Minister is being informed through his committee and through the local drugs task forces of the position on the ground. I congratulate the Department on the holistic way in which it deals with this complex problem. The problem is not solely confined to young men or women, particular areas in the northside and the southside of Dublin or anywhere else. There is a massive upsurge in the production of cocaine and other drugs worldwide. The Garda has built up contacts worldwide through agencies like Interpol.

Nonetheless, we can only tackle problems on our own doorstep. The strategy is in place until 2008 and is subject to review this year. There is an opportunity to take account of all the changes that have taken place in the past ten years on drug misuse and drug treatment. I urge the Minister to talk to those who are working on the ground as he has been doing. They will try to protect their own little patch but that is understandable. These are the areas that are the most affected by drug abuse. I also want to mention the families involved. Many people have died from heroin abuse in north inner-city Dublin. Some of the families affected came together and provided a support group. While the addict is going through hell, the parents and siblings of the addict suffer as well and there is nothing they can do. They can only offer support to the individual so it is essential that those families are also supported. The Department, in the context of the review, is seeking to provide greater support for the families and that is essential.

12:00 pm

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister and I welcome this second report from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs. It is imperative that reports like this are published frequently to keep us informed. A key finding has been that 20% of the overall population has taken illegal drugs in the past year. That is a damning statistic on society. It is well known that a drugs culture leads to a violent culture, which has been witnessed on the streets of many towns and cities across the country. Another statistic showed that twice as many men as women have taken illegal drugs. That is easily verified by observing behaviour on the streets of Dublin.

Another finding in the report is that women reported a higher usage of sedatives, tranquillisers and other anti-depressants. An investigation should be carried out, perhaps by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs or the health boards, into why women have to resort to these drugs.

The progress report dealt with a number of areas including drug use prevention; the use of buprenorphine as a treatment solution for heroin addiction; the consequences for communities of drug abuse; and drug use among the homeless. The advisory committee's recommendations highlight the need to prioritise the tackling of certain forms of substance abuse over others. This is certainly the case in respect of cocaine, the use of which is increasing, as mentioned by other Senators. The report also points out that drug prevention policy should take into account the connections between illegal drugs and legal drug products such as tobacco and alcohol. This area should be accorded a higher priority. Only last week we spoke about the abuse of alcohol in society. When alcohol is mixed with drugs, it certainly becomes a lethal cocktail.

The recommendations also referred to the need for distinctive programmes to be focused on both problematic and serious drug use by young people in socially disadvantaged communities. Included in these categories of drug abuse are the use of heroin and experimental drug use by young people from such communities. Unfortunately, drug gangs prey on those in socially disadvantaged areas because they regard them as soft targets. We must pump resources into these areas.

Another key recommendation was to concentrate more on the social causes of drug abuse, particularly to have more programmes to deal with social exclusion. We need more research and resources in disadvantaged areas. Schools must also be targeted by the Department to inform young people of prevention policies in particular and of the effects of drug abuse. This should be done in an aggressive manner.

There should be greater inter-agency co-operation at Government level to tackle drug abuse, cocaine abuse in particular. I read that the Minister of State stated only last year that this was only a very small problem, affecting 1% of the population. The figure of 1% pertains to everybody from naught to 90 but the problem is almost exclusively concentrated in the 15-34 year old age group. The south Dublin and Wicklow region, covered by the Eastern Health Board, has the highest reported level of cocaine use in the Republic, with 6.3% of all adults in the region having taken it. The figure pertaining to those aged between 15 and 34 in the same area is10.5%, which exceeds the highest level recorded previously in the EU, namely 8.7%. This latter figure was recorded in the United Kingdom in 2002. Therefore, the cocaine problem in the south Dublin and Wicklow region is one of the most significant in the EU and something will have to be done to combat it.

Other Senators have also mentioned the problem of cocaine. Unlike heroin addiction, which can be treated by methadone, no treatment seems to be available for the abuse of cocaine. There is a need for the expansion of counselling services in this regard. Dr. Des Corrigan, chairman of the advisory committee, warned that the Republic may be beginning to experience a cocaine epidemic which may take some time to manifest itself. However, if the figures are to be believed, it is already manifesting itself.

I have alluded to the fact that the report highlights the abuse of legal drugs, including alcohol, tobacco, anti-depressants and tranquillisers, and I called for some research to be done in this area. It was remiss of those responsible for the strategy that alcohol abuse was not included in it when it was being established. My party colleague in the Dáil has called for the creation of a national addiction strategy that would incorporate the existing national drugs strategy and also have proposals on tackling alcohol abuse. A comprehensive addiction strategy would deal with the abuse of all drugs, both legal and illegal. Such a strategy is necessary.

The remit of the drugs task forces must be broadened to allow them to identify and address addiction problems in their local communities, whether these involve drink or drugs. It is very important that the gardaí investigate matters on the ground and know what is going on. There is no doubt that the task forces should be allocated increased funding and have extra manpower to allow them to tackle the abuse of drink and drugs, which is so prevalent.

We demand that the Government fulfil its promise to recruit 2,000 extra gardaí. We have heard this promise so often, yet only 121 extra gardaí have been recruited since the Government took office. This is an indictment of the Government. A key element of the national drugs strategy was that extra gardaí would be made available for community policing where drug abuse and drug dealing are most prevalent. We need these gardaí so let us get moving on this.

The money being seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau should not go into central funds. It should be ring-fenced specifically to promote drug prevention and fund drug treatment services. Fine Gael argues that those who suffer most at the hands of the drug dealers should benefit most from the revenue and assets seized from drug dealers by the Criminal Assets Bureau. I hope action will be taken to address the problems I have mentioned.

Photo of Terry LeydenTerry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House and compliment him on his work in this difficult area. I was chairman of the national drugs advisory committee in the Department of Health from 1987 to 1989 and found it one of the most difficult portfolios with which to deal. At that time Dublin, in particular, faced the same plight. There were difficulties with heroin, cocaine, marijuana and every other type of drug. The situation has not improved — in fact, I believe it has worsened. The problem has now spread nationwide.

At the time, we introduced a needle exchange scheme, which was regarded as relatively revolutionary. We were seen as condoning intravenous drug taking but the reason we brought in the scheme was to try to reduce the level and spread of HIV and AIDS. That was our main policy at the time. Times have changed but at that time, it took a certain amount of political strength to implement the initiative because there were objections from many people who felt we were encouraging drug taking. Drug rehabilitation facilities are widespread and they try to wean people away from drugs. That policy is being pursued by the Minister of State whose Department is much better funded than it was in the past.

What solutions exist to this difficult problem? Some people have called for the legalisation of marijuana and other such drugs but if we do that, we will only introduce more people to drug taking. It is difficult to wean people off cigarettes. Nicotine is a strong drug — in fact, it is regarded as even stronger than some of the prohibited drugs. It is doubtful whether nicotine would be legalised today. I think Sir Walter Raleigh, who brought it into Europe, is responsible for more mass murders than Hitler. He did not bring anything good to Europe. By bringing nicotine to Europe, he has caused much death and destruction.

The Minister of State outlined the work he is undertaking. I do not know if any new initiatives can be introduced. There should be greater surveillance of ports. Drugs must come in by air or sea. The amount of drugs detected is only a small proportion of the amount of illegal drugs being imported into this country. We should redouble our efforts in respect of the clamp down on drug imports. There must be some method to inspect cargoes, whether coming through Rosslare, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin Port, the airports or Northern Ireland. There was even a fear that small aeroplanes could drop drugs in rural areas. Many people heard aeroplanes fly overhead at night and saw fires lit in bogs and locations around the countryside to allow for the importation of drugs in that way. There is also the question of mules bringing cocaine into Ireland in their bodies.

There are drugs in Mountjoy Prison. How can drugs get into an area which is under supervision? The same applies to many other prisons. Apparently, Castlerea Prison has no difficulty with drugs and there seems to be some control in that regard. The prison in Spike Island, which I inspected, had a drug problem. There is probably a drug problem in Cork and Portlaoise jails.

The Minister of State and the local drugs task forces are working well. There is great concern in rural areas about the spread of drugs, as I amsure there is in the Leas-Chathaoirleach's constituency. Many years ago people in rural areas had no access to speed, marijuana, cocaine or to other drugs. Unfortunately, those drugs are more widely available than in the past. We must continue our clamp down on the importation of drugs and on the distributors, the multi-millionaires who are creating havoc for young people. Many young people have been introduced to drug taking by these people who sell drugs near schools, in rural areas and in towns. I would show no mercy to them and no prison sentence is long enough for those who bring in drugs to distribute them to and destroy young people. I encourage the Minister of State and his Department to take whatever action is necessary to bring in additional legislation in this area, if required.

When I was Minister of State in the Department of Health and Children, I visited the inner city and met people there. Most asked that the retention drugs be made available to them in rehabilitation centres. Many of those people would have become hooked on those drugs as well but at least it was a recognition of the problem. If we can bring people into treatment centres, we can respond to them.

Surveillance is important given the number of people selling drugs. The Garda Síochána is doing an excellent job to try to bring people to trial and to have them prosecuted. However, it is difficult because there is much secrecy among those who buy drugs as they will not expose the sellers. There is fear throughout this city given the number of guns around. There have been many murders in the city related to some of these drug barons.

I wish the Minister of State well in his work. It is a difficult task because people are hooked on drugs, which are responsible for most of the crime in this city, including robberies by those who need to get money to buy the drugs the barons are bringing in from abroad. We looked at educating young people but there was a concern that if we brought drugs into schools to show them to students, we would be making them aware of drug taking. It is difficult to know how best to educate young people in respect of drugs, which are so addictive. The Minister of State should continue his work and I am delighted he is being well resourced as this is becoming a rural as well as an urban problem.

Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to discuss this important report and the problems associated with drugs. I will speak particularly about the problems in Dublin, the location with which I am most familiar. As the Minister of State probably knows, I live in a part of the city with a high level of drug abuse and, more important, with a large number of people who are in the business of supplying them. Many of them are well-known characters. It is frustrating for public representatives and, even more so, for people living in these communities to see these people abscond from the State, as some have done, and the gardaí fail to get to grips with them. Much crime revolves around their activities. We can see that in the number of gangland killings in our city in recent years. An increasing number of deaths have resulted from the drugs industry yet we are not getting to grips with it.

The importers and suppliers of drugs are destroying the lives of many of our young people. We are not coming to grips with this problem. The numbers involved are staggering. I accept that the problem is difficult and will become more so as these suppliers find new ways of importing drugs. Technology assists them and they are finding new and better ways of importing and selling drugs. The expansion of the European Union and the removal of border controls make it even more difficult for the gardaí to tackle this problem. However, tackle it they must and they must be given the resources to do so.

When we think of drugs we tend to think of cannabis, cocaine and heroin. There is a growing incidence of the misuse of prescription medication and of forging prescriptions in order to obtain them. We must keep an eye on this problem and do our best to tackle it.

While we continue to talk about drug abuse and the reasons for it, the core of the solution lies in putting structures in place to deal with drug abusers. I am concerned about the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers. While much has been done in the past couple of years there are still many drug abusers who want to receive treatment but remain on waiting lists. I am also concerned about the quality of the service they receive when they have reached the top of the waiting list. Organisations involved in this area complain about the lack of access to counselling, support and after-care. These need to be improved.

It is shocking to hear of the growth in the use of cocaine. For too long we spoke about the heroin problem in Dublin while it was allowed to worsen. We now know about the cocaine problem. It must be tackled urgently before we have a crisis on our hands.

Poor housing and homelessness cause problems for drug users who want to rehabilitate themselves. Housing is also the responsibility of the Minister of State. Every night we see homeless people on our streets. If people who are trying to come off drugs do not have a suitable place to live they are likely to fall back into their old ways. We must support the families of drug users and families who want to rid their communities of drugs. These families need support services which, obviously, cost money. Tackling poverty and marginalisation is the key to ensuring that people will not fall into a life of drug taking because the majority of drug users come from a background of poor educational achievement and family poverty. These are recipes for disaster. If we do not take people out of the poverty trap, they are likely to fall into drug abuse.

There must be greater co-ordination between the drug treatment and mental health services. The work of organisations involved in both these areas must be co-ordinated. The spread of HIV infection and AIDS is of concern and must be prevented by improving our health services.

The Criminal Assets Bureau is doing an excellent job. The money secured by the CAB through the confiscation of money and the sale of confiscated property should be redistributed to communities which have been affected by drugs. Money gained through the supply and sale of drugs should go back to those communities.

No matter what laws we have enacted, if we do not enforce them, we will not achieve the goals we have set ourselves. At the beginning of its term of office the Government promised to provide 2,000 extra gardaí. We need those gardaí now and not only to tackle the drugs problem. The provision of extra gardaí would help to rid our towns and cities of this serious problem.

Photo of Labhrás Ó MurchúLabhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to share my time with Senator Hanafin.

Photo of Paddy BurkePaddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Photo of Labhrás Ó MurchúLabhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)
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I compliment the Minister of State on the proactive role he has played with regard to this issue. He has spoken to the Seanad on a number of occasions and to the joint committee of which I am a member. It is evident from his contributions on those occasions that he is determined to devise a strategy which will bring results and to ensure that research is carried out to give us a complete understanding of the problem we are trying to tackle.

For a long time there has been a sense of denial in our communities and on the part of parents regarding this issue. It is only when a tragic case occurs, a large quantity of illegal drugs is seized or there is an exposé of the drug trade in the media that we stop and become alarmed. However, we soon continue unconcerned. One wonders if we realise the depth of the problem, the terrible havoc it is creating and the lives it is destroying. It is not only the lives of drug users which are being destroyed. The whole community is affected. When we hear a horrific crime has taken place, perhaps involving people coming out of a club or place of entertainment late at night, we stop and try to rationalise how such things can happen. These actions cannot be rationalised if substances are being used which take away an individual's control over his own actions. In effect, the whole community is held to ransom as a result of the terrible abuse of drugs.

While many would have expected the statistics provided by the Minister, others will be alarmed by them. Some feel the level of drug abuse would not register on the scale, but it is clear that even in the case of hard drugs, we are talking of 3% to 4% of the population. However, when 20% or more admit they have partaken of illegal drugs at some time, it indicates the type of problem with which we must contend.

We now seem to focus much more on the problem. In addition to having a strategy which will in some way alleviate this problem and deal with the security aspect to ensure drugs do not enter the country, two areas are particularly important, namely, education and advertising. In the context of education, Members are aware there is huge peer pressure in regard not just to fashions and attitudes, but also alcohol, which is itself a drug, and other substances. It is very difficult to withstand this type of pressure unless it is highlighted within the education system and unless professionals point out to the young exactly what it means to respond to such pressure. I would go so far as to say it means they are destroying their lives. Young people may not die but the possibility of developing their personalities and career opportunities, or having a quality of life with which they can be happy, are slim if they give in to peer pressure, which is happening.

A terrible recent case was highlighted in which a young man was beaten to death. While I will not go into the horrific details of the case, it is clear that alcohol or other substances were involved. Those involved were not from deprived backgrounds — quite the opposite. Nevertheless, there was almost a gang approach towards the young man who was killed and it is not possible that those involved could have stopped to think of exactly what they were doing. In some way they had lost control of their actions. Education is vital in tackling such problems.

It should be possible to have advertising campaigns similar to anti-smoking campaigns, although there have not been campaigns concerning alcohol to such a degree because it does not seem politically correct to go down that road. However, there should be an advertising campaign to highlight the horror attached to substance abuse and the manner in which lives are ruined and communities virtually destroyed.

Photo of John Gerard HanafinJohn Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Senator Ó Murchú that an advertising campaign is essential. We could perhaps consider opportunities available in the media, for example, RTE, which might make an effort in its programming to show the harrowing decline of drug addicts and the problems created in communities and for families caught up with drugs.

I welcome the publication of the first progress report of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, which plays a vital role as partof the research pillar of the national drugs strategy. The importance of knowledge regarding the prevalence, prevention, treatment and consequences of drug use in Ireland is critical to focusing the efforts of the Government in the right direction in the fight against illegal drugs. I thank the committee for producing a professional report which not only details its research, but outlines its business plan and the planning behind awarding and monitoring research funding. The thoroughness and openness of the committee leaves me confident that its findings are precise and well researched.

The committee has been extremely proactive in addressing the tasks with which it was charged and I am thoroughly impressed with its work. In a three year period it has hosted or participated in over 30 conferences and events in Ireland and abroad and has also made over 26 presentations to a variety of different groups. All this work took place alongside and in harmony with the development of over 39 research projects. The committee deserves our thanks for its industry.

The flexibility and active co-operation of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs with different groups and projects is also significant. For example, I praise the great support the committee has provided and continues to provide to the first phase of the national drugs awareness campaign, both in providing information and tracking the effectiveness of the campaign. I am sure this invaluable collaboration will continue.

Illegal drugs inflict staggering costs on our society, undermine our national reputation and international image and hold us back in all sorts of ways. Moreover, they blight and destroy lives, especially, and increasingly, young lives. The entire population, not just city residents, at-risk groups or designated Government agencies, should be concerned about drug abuse. While the research published by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs shows that the vast majority of Irish people have never used illegal or harmful drugs, the figures show that drug use is no longer confined to our major urban centres. All strata of Irish life, advantaged or disadvantaged, urban or rural, are threatened by an insidious and unrelenting drugs trade.

Information is key in tackling this problem and is the starting point for good planning, policy and practice. A health research board survey conducted last year found that three out of every four Irish people do not have enough information about drugs. There can be no doubt that having the right information can help a person make better choices and decisions and also facilitate communication. When one has the right information, one feels more confident not only in the context of talking about drugs, but of doing so in an open and informed manner.

Since the National Advisory Committee on Drugs was launched in 2001, Departments and State agencies have made considerable progress in implementing the actions set out for them in the national drugs strategy. This progress is monitored through six-monthly progress reports of which there have been three to date. The Minister indicated as recently as yesterday in the Dáil that the national drugs strategy can be re-focused. If this is deemed necessary, it will be in no small way thanks to the ongoing research carried out by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, which constantly improves our knowledge of the realities on the ground. I note that a mid-term review of the strategy is to be conducted later this year and I look forward to its findings.

Domestic efforts alone cannot address what is fundamentally a global problem fuelled by powerful international organisations. To this end I encourage all Government agencies, such as the Garda Síochána, to continue with determination and fervour the fight against those who sell drugs to our people without regard for their health. Domestic policy must focus on reducing the demand for drugs.

I reiterate that information is key. As a people, we can never have enough information in the fight against drugs. I thank the National Advisory Committee on Drugs for its unfaltering commitment to this fight and for filling gaps in our knowledge. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and wish him success as he oversees the national drugs strategy because we must prevent illegal drugs from darkening the promising dawn of our young people.

Photo of Frank FeighanFrank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The report makes sad reading in the context of the future of our so-called society. Some eight years ago, I visited Liverpool for a football match. On going to a city centre pub, I was horrified to find there was such an availability of drugs and that this was an acceptable part of the culture. Coming from the west, I genuinely did not believe this culture existed to such an extent and I am saddened that it has finally reached our shores. It has taken root in Dublin and most of the major cities and, unfortunately, is set to take root in every village and townland unless drastic action is taken.

I appreciate the Minister of State has a feeling for the situation and is doing his best with the resources available. I agree with Senator Ó Murchú that we have been in denial for too long. Over the years there was another drug, alcohol. However, while people drank more, they did not misbehave to the same extent. Another sinister element is the extra additives to alcohol. As a result, many young people end up in hospitals and Garda stations and when they get up the next morning they do not know what they have done. We must tackle this culture before it is too late.

The report points out that the use of heroin and cocaine, even crack cocaine, has spread to the regions, which were previously affected by so-called soft drugs such as ecstasy and cannabis. I am pleased such work has gone into compiling the report. It also expressed concern at the link between increasing gun crime and drug gangs. Every weekend, when the gardaí stop cars in rural areas, they seize drugs, amphetamines and so on. More than €100 million worth of drugs was seized by gardaí last year. Just 10% of drugs are seized by the security forces around the world. This means the drugs trade is worth €1 billion a year, which is horrific. Much more must be done to tackle serious crime.

The report states that 20% of the overall population has taken illegal drugs in the past year. Twice as many men as women have taken illegal drugs. The report indicates a higher use of sedatives, tranquillisers and anti-depressants among women. Perhaps we should look at alternative medicine and abolish the overuse of tranquillisers. I do not agree with promoting the use of cannabis as an alternative medicine. While some people highlight the qualities of cannabis, we have taken great initiatives against smoking in the past five or ten years. Since tobacco was introduced, most people take cannabis by way of inhalation. More people have died from tobacco-related illnesses than died in the First World War and the Second World War. Tobacco is a relatively new substance, which is with us for just over 200 years, but I would not recommend cannabis as an alternative medicine.

Schools must develop their own drugs prevention policies and there must be greater emphasis on drug abuse programmes. This is not the final solution. We are all aware that we cannot drop litter because we were taught this in school. It is only when fines are introduced that we take such matters on board. There needs to be a policy of enforcement and drug pushers need to be put away for a long time.

The remit of the national drugs task force must be broadened to allow these people to work on the ground in their own communities to identify addiction problems, whether in regard to drink or drugs. I welcome the regional task forces but they must be allocated increased manpower and increased funding to allow them to tackle drug abuse in communities. While the Minister of State is doing all he can in this regard, the Government cannot be serious about tackling the drugs problem. Prior to the last general election, 2,000 extra gardaí were promised, yet, at its conference yesterday, the Garda Representative Body stated that just 121 gardaí have been recruited since this promise was made more than two years ago. While the Government may want to stay in power for a long time, at this rate it will take 20 years to fulfil the promise made prior to the last general election to increase the force by 2,000.

If the Minister of State asks the Minister for Finance, or perhaps someone more powerful in the Fianna Fáil Party, to deliver on the promise of 2,000 extra gardaí, I will believe he is doing everything possible to solve the problem.

Sitting suspended at 12.50 p.m. and resumed at 2.30 p.m.