Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 531: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if financial assistance will be given to a local drugs group (details supplied) in its efforts to pay for security shutters at its centre; and if the maximum advice and support will be given in accessing funding. [10977/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The bulk of the drugs funding available is channelled through the local and regional drugs task forces. I understand from the Dublin north east drugs task force, in whose area the project in question is situated, that it has not received a funding application from this group. However, the group is welcome to forward an application to the task force for assistance from the premises initiative fund. In addition, the group is also welcome to apply under my Department's programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations, which will be advertised in the coming months.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he intends to offer realistic funding to assist the national drugs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11087/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on substantially increasing financial support to communities combating drug abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11089/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 539: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is satisfied that he is providing sufficient funding to the various groups or bodies involved in combating drug abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11094/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 532, 534 and 539 together.

My Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The strategy contains 108 individual actions, under the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research, to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. My Department also has responsibility for the work of the 14 local drugs task forces, LDTFs, which were established in the areas experiencing the worst levels of drug misuse, particularly heroin, and for the work of the ten regional drugs task forces which were established in those areas not covered by a LDTF. More than €125 million has been allocated to the LDTFs to implement their two rounds of local action plans. A further €13.66 million has been allocated to capital projects under the LDTF premises initiative, which is designed to meet the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects.

In addition, approximately €99 million has been allocated to support the work of the young people's facilities and services fund in LDTF areas and four other urban centres. The main aim of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into recreational facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance misuse. A sum of €5 million has been allocated to enable the RDTFs to kick start the implementation of their regional plans and I envisage that this sum will rise incrementally over the coming years to an annual allocation of more than €12 million.

The Deputy will be pleased to know that the current year's allocation available to my Department for expenditure on drugs issues is €43 million, which represents a substantial 37% increase on the 2005 initial allocation and a huge increase of 61% on the 2004 figure. Tackling the drug problem is a key Government priority and appropriate resources will continue to be allocated for that purpose.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 533: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he or his Department have monitored the increase in drug abuse; his proposals to combat the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11088/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The national advisory committee on drugs and the drug and alcohol information and research unit, Northern Ireland, commissioned the first drug prevalence survey, the purpose of which was to establish the population prevalence of drug use on the island of Ireland, in 2002-03. This study surveyed more than 8,000 people aged between 15 and 64 in Ireland and Northern Ireland between October 2002 and April 2003 and examined the prevalence of a number of drugs.

Expressions of interest from potential tenderers have been sought for a second population drug prevalence survey. It is intended that the drug prevalence study fieldwork will be carried out from late 2006 to mid-2007. Preliminary analysis will be carried out in the months following, with a first report of national prevalence figures and trends expected in late 2007. As we have the baseline information in place from the first survey, the findings of this survey should prove very informative, giving valuable information on trends that can feed into drugs policy formulation going forward.

I am confident the existing framework can facilitate the recognition and tackling of growth in the use of illegal drugs. The National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 addresses the problem of drug misuse across a number of pillars — supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research — and implementation of the strategy across a range of Departments and agencies is co-ordinated by my Department. The mid-term review of the national drugs strategy was published in June 2005. This report was the culmination of a comprehensive review, which included extensive consultation with Departments and agencies, the community and voluntary sectors and the public. I am pleased the review steering group found that the current aims and objectives of the drugs strategy are fundamentally sound.

There have been encouraging signs of progress over the past few years — be it in the areas of drug seizures, the expansion of treatment services, prevention programmes in schools or the establishment of the regional drugs task forces. While not underestimating the scale of the problem, I am confident that we will continue to make progress through a process of co-operation and partnership.