Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has had formal meetings or discussions with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding mandatory sentencing for drug offences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16808/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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While I have not met formally with my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, to discuss the issue of mandatory sentencing for drug offences, this matter was considered as part of the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy. It was also raised by a number of organisations in their submissions to the review, including some of the local drugs task forces, the Probation and Welfare Service, the Health Research Board and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors.

I understand that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform commissioned a study on the utilisation of provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1999 for mandatory sentencing for certain drug offences. The Deputy should note that the study has since been published and is now available on that Department's website under the title "Research for the Department of Justice on the criteria applied by the Courts in sentencing under s. 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 (as amended)."