Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will undertake major initiatives to combat the crisis surrounding the use and abuse of illegal drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10792/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will increase the amount available through his Department to community based groups attempting to combat drug abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10778/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 94 together.

My Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the national drugs strategy 2001-08. This incorporates the work of the local and regional drugs task forces and the young people's facilities and services fund. Through these initiatives a broad range of community and voluntary groups are funded to tackle drug misuse.

To date, approximately €125 million has been allocated to implement in the region of 440 projects under two rounds of local drug task force, LDTF plans; approximately €99 million has been allocated under the young people's facilities and services fund to support in the region of 450 initiatives; and a further €13.66 million has been allocated to projects under the LDTF premises initiative which is designed to meet the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects. Expenditure on the implementation of the new action plans of the regional drugs task forces, which cover all areas not covered by a local drugs task force, commenced in 2005 and allocations totalling almost €5 million have been made to facilitate getting a range of projects up and running in the regions this year. Furthermore, funding of the regional drugs task forces will be increased incrementally over a number of years until full implementation of their plans is achieved.

A sum of €43 million has been allocated in my Department's Vote for the drugs initiative-young people's facilities and services fund in 2006. This represents an increase of 37% on the original 2005 allocation and a massive 61% increase on the 2004 figure. It will allow us to consolidate and build on previous investment and continue to tackle the drug problem in a comprehensive way.

All of the projects and programmes funded through the national drugs strategy have been devised through a partnership process involving consultation and discussion with the relevant Departments and agencies as well as the community and voluntary sectors. I am satisfied that the range of activities and initiatives currently being funded represents a comprehensive approach to tackling the problems of drugs misuse.