Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the reason a person (details supplied) resigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39097/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I received a letter from the individual concerned in which he indicated his intention to resign his position as representative of the community sector on the national drugs strategy team. His contribution to the national drugs strategy is acknowledged and appreciated. He previously indicated to my Department his intention to step down from his position last September and offered to remain as a member of the national drugs strategy team until February 2006. He also intends to remain as the community sector representative on the interdepartmental group on drugs and on the national advisory committee of the young people's facilities and services fund until replacement representatives are nominated.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount which has been allocated each year since the beginning of the national drugs strategy to each local drugs task force team. [39151/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Substantial funding has been allocated to the 14 local drugs task forces since 1997 to fund their two rounds of development plans. Outlined in the following table is the total amount allocated, including mainstreamed amounts, to each LDTF in that time.

In addition to these amounts, a capital sum of just over €13.6 million has been allocated to LDTF projects under the premises initiative to provide facilities for the provision of services to drug misusers. Funding of almost €95 million has also been provided under the young people's facilities and services fund, the vast majority of which has been allocated to both service projects and facilities in LDTF areas.

I have asked my officials to provide a breakdown of the allocations to each task force area on an annual basis and they will forward this to the Deputy in the coming days.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount in the emerging needs fund; the further amount within the emerging needs fund which has been disbursed as of 30 November 2005; the projects which have received this funding; the amount each of these projects received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39152/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I announced an emerging needs fund earlier this year. The fund represents an initiative to deal with different issues arising as the drugs misuse scenario evolves and a sum of up to €1 million to meet such needs has been allocated for this purpose.

To date, I have allocated €181,238 under the emerging needs fund to the following five projects: community policing forum, Blanchardstown —€60,000; counselling support for CDTs, Blanchardstown —€40,000; SNUG counselling, north inner city —€22,400; Barnardos childcare project, Dún Laoghaire —€13,904; and Howth Peninsula drugs awareness group —€44,934. A further batch of applications are currently being assessed and I hope to be in a position to make more allocations in the near future.