Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 102: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide a progress report on the measures to counter the increasing use of cocaine and crack cocaine here; his proposals to meet the needs of users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2629/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The national drugs strategy contains 108 actions to counteract drug misuse, including the misuse of cocaine and crack cocaine. At present there is no substitution treatment drug for cocaine and existing services such as counselling and behavioural therapy are the best treatments available. In this context, the Health Service Executive has recruited additional counsellors and outreach workers in the past number of years.

In 2005 I launched four pilot cocaine treatment projects to examine different methods of treatment for cocaine use, as well as a training initiative focusing on frontline workers. Funding of almost €400,000 was provided by me to support these initiatives.

The four projects deal with the following cohorts of cocaine users; intravenous cocaine users; poly-drug users using cocaine; problematic intranasal cocaine users; and problematic female cocaine users.

Independent consultants have been engaged to conduct an evaluation of the pilot projects. This work has commenced and it is expected that a preliminary report will be available in the coming months. The main thrust of the evaluation will be to analyse, in a systematic manner, what is being achieved by the projects and to report on the lessons to be learned as a result. It is hoped that the results of this evaluation will aid the formulation of further effective actions aimed at tackling cocaine and crack cocaine misuse.

I also point out that all schools now have substance misuse prevention programmes. Furthermore, a national drugs awareness campaign focused specifically on cocaine use in 2004-05. This well-received campaign sought to dispel the image that cocaine was a clean and safe drug with few detrimental consequences.