Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide a progress report on the regional drugs task forces; the level of funding for these task forces; the Government's response to their recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2630/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the national drugs strategy, ten regional drugs task forces, RDTFs, have been established throughout the country. The RDTFs work in a partnership manner, similar to the local drugs task forces, LDTFs, and are made up of nominees from State agencies working in the region, the community and voluntary sectors and elected public representatives. They cover all parts of the country that are not serviced by one of the 14 LDTFs.

At the outset the RDTFs were involved in mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas, as well as the current levels of services in place to address these problems. This work informed the development of action plans to address gaps in key services going forward. The action plan in respect of each RDTF was subsequently forwarded to the national drugs strategy team, NDST, for assessment. Arising from the plans, I have made allocations totalling just under €5 million per annum to allow the RDTFs to get a range of projects up and running in their areas.

Furthermore, offers of employment as RDTF co-ordinators have recently been made to those individuals who were successful in a recent recruitment process and I am confident that the level of activity of the RDTFs in the provision of services will increase substantially in the current year.