Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the actions of the national drugs strategy which have not been delivered; and the aspects which need improvement. [23017/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Report of the Steering Group on the Mid-term Review of the National Drugs Strategy was published in June 2005. The review sought to assess the impact and direction of the Strategy at this mid-point stage and, in this regard, the Group concentrated on identifying any necessary adjustments to the existing Strategy and on highlighting priorities for the second phase up to 2008.

In overall terms, ten of the Strategy's existing actions were replaced, a further seven of the existing actions are being amended and there are eight new actions which aim to address issues such as family support and rehabilitation. In terms of progress, the review found that: 49 of the original 100 actions outlined in the Strategy are completed or of an on-going nature; progress was on-going on a further 45; and there were 6 actions on which considerable progress has to be made. Of these six, actions 61 (relating to respite facilities and halfway houses) and 72 (drugs training for professionals) are of a long-term nature and work is continuing on their advancement. The other four actions in this category are action 11 dealing with Community Policing Fora; action 23 on the prison strategy in relation to drugs: action 63 relating to a pilot community pharmacy needle and syringe exchange programme and action 77 on meetings with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Prompted by action 11, Community Policing Fora have been piloted in a number of areas and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has now forwarded a copy of the Community Policing For a Guidelines to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights and informed the Committee that he intends to issue the guidelines on 16 June, thereby enabling further committees to be established.

In relation to action 23, a new Irish Prisons Service Drugs Policy and Strategy, "Keeping Drugs out of Prisons" was launched in May and its implementation is beginning. Regarding action 63, the health services are prioritising the expansion of needle exchange and other harm reduction services over the remaining timeframe of the Strategy. An additional €3 million was provided for this in 2006. In relation to action 77, I am happy to attend before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to discuss the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy whenever this is suitable to the Committee.

Finally, the Strategy will continue to be monitored through the Inter-Departmental Group on Drugs (IDG), which I chair, and through the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion. The IDG meets quarterly to assess progress by Departments and Agencies in achieving the targets set for them and any obstacle to the implementation of the Strategy are brought to light and discussed at these meetings. Furthermore, reports on the implementation of the Strategy are presented to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion on the periodic basis.