Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the latest information his Department has on the extent of the cocaine crisis nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36929/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The NACD-DAIRU drug prevalence survey is generally regarded as the most reliable baseline data on drug prevalence in Ireland. That study, which surveyed 8,442 people aged 15 to 64 years old in Ireland and in Northern Ireland between October 2002 and April 2003, reported that 3% of the respondents had used cocaine, 1.1% had used it in the last 12 months and 0.3% used in the last month. Compared with similar comprehensive population surveys undertaken in other European countries, these figures suggest that Ireland is roughly average in terms of use. This was borne out by last week's European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, EMCDDA, 2005 annual report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe which reported that the average lifetime use rate of cocaine in Europe was 3% of the adult population, 15 to 64 year olds, and the various national rates of cocaine use varied between 0.5% and 6%.

The highest rates of cocaine use recorded in the drug prevalence survey were in the three former health board areas in the east of the country, with the East Coast Area Health Board area, ECAHB, having the highest levels of lifetime use among adults at 6.3%, last year use at 2.3% and last month at 0.5%. No use levels were recorded in any age group in the former North Western Health Board, NWHB, area, though I must caution that this does not imply that there is no use of cocaine in that region but it does indicate that any use is at very low levels. The next lowest was the North Eastern Health Board, NEHB, area at 1.2% lifetime use with no usage level recorded over the last year or month by any age group.

The NACD-DAIRU drug prevalence survey was the first such general population survey on drug use so there is no baseline figure against which to compare it. However, the increased frequency and scale of cocaine seizures, and the increase in the numbers presenting for treatment for the drug, can be taken as a reasonable indication of increasing use. A new comprehensive drugs prevalence survey is due to be commissioned in 2006.