Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 746 of 21 March 2006, if progress has been made regarding the walk tall support being extended to other areas of disadvantage outside of local drugs task force areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16838/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Steering Committee of the Substance Misuse Prevention Programme has submitted to my Department a proposal with a number of options for extending the SMPP (Walk Tall Programme) to other areas of disadvantage which are outside the local drugs task forces.

The proposals are currently under examination by officials and this examination involves consultation with the Walk Tall Support Programme personnel to explore, amongst other issues, the feasibility of extending the Programme to areas of disadvantage which are outside the local drugs task forces.

Once this examination has been completed, I have been assured that a range of options in relation to any proposed extension of the Walk Tall Programme will be provided for my consideration in the context of demands for the service and available resources.