Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from a senior member of the Garda Síochána that heroin is so readily available even in rural areas that two of the biggest seizures to date of the drug in recent months have had no impact on its availability or price on the street; his views on whether Ireland is fast approaching a heroin epidemic here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42843/06]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has had discussions with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of Finance in regard to the number and value of drugs seizures here in 2006; his views on the increased number of drugs hauls in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42855/06]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to new Garda figures showing that the illegal drugs trade here has grown to record proportions in 2006 following an unexpected increase in the availability of heroin; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the trade in softer drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy are being displaced by sales of cocaine and heroin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42842/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 56 and 99 together.

I am fully aware, through my own contacts and that of my officials with the relevant Departments and Agencies involved in the roll-out of the National Drugs Strategy, of the increase in the number of large drug seizures by An Garda Síochána and I congratulate them on these successes. I am in regular contact with the Department of Justice Equality & Law Reform through the National Drugs Strategy structures in relation to Garda work and other drug-related matters. Furthermore, I periodically meet with senior members of An Garda Síochána who are involved in the drugs area. Meanwhile, contact with the Department of Finance is maintained in relation to funding issues.

Varying views have been expresses on the impact of recent drug seizures on price and availability. It is not possible at this point to conclusively identify the degree of such impact, especially in a situation where an above average harvest has lead to increased supplies of heroin globally.

The drug problem in Ireland continues to evolve and I have been aware for some time of the emergence of cocaine as an increasing problem, as well as the increasing issue of polydrug use. While there is anecdotal evidence about a possible substitution effect with respect to cocaine, no hard evidence is available to back this up. However, I am certainly not aware of any substitution effect from cannabis or ecstasy to heroin and I would not accept that we are facing a heroin epidemic.

The nature of any relationship between the level of drugs seizures and the prevalence of drug usage is extremely difficult to determine. Our most comprehensive figures for the misuse of drugs arise from the Drug Prevalence Survey 2002/2003. Fieldwork for the second such Survey is currently in progress and will be completed in April 2007, with first reports becoming available in the Autumn. With respect to heroin specifically, the Capture Recapture Study was published by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs in 2003 and a further such study is to be commissioned in 2007. These surveys will give us a much clearer view of the prevalence and changing nature of drug misuse in Ireland.