Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from the secretary of the Irish Association of Suicidology that drug taking is a key factor in the rising rate of suicide among young women; his views on increasing funding to allow for an education campaign targeted at young women about the dangers of the drug culture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42839/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of comments of the Irish Association of Suicidology that binge drinking in particular, and illicit drug taking, are factors in the rising rate of suicide among young women. While dealing with suicide is a matter for the Health Services Executive in the first instance, tackling the issue of illicit substance misuse among young people is a key element of the National Drugs Strategy 2001/08.

Under the Strategy, a number of preventative measures have been put in place to address the issue of substance misuse among children, teenagers and young adults. In respect of the education sector, the main focus of the National Drugs Strategy is on preventative strategies around the misuse of all substances. Thus programmes have been developed targeting the primary and secondary school levels, as well as the informal education sector. All schools now have substance misuse prevention programmes, namely the Walk Tall programme and the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, included on their curricula. As a consequence of this, all students are being equipped with knowledge about the dangers of substance misuse.

In my own Department, under the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund, over €1.5 million has been allocated to a number of the major youth organisations to recruit Drugs Education Officers, or to put drugs education programmes in place. The aim of the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund is to divert young people who are in danger of misusing drugs away from that path. To date, over €107 million has been allocated under the Fund to approximately 460 facility and services projects employing approximately 325 people.

A series of awareness campaigns, focused particularly on young people and their parents, was undertaken in the three-year period from May 2003 to

raise awareness about drugs among the general population;

empower parents to facilitate more open communication with their children;

address the issue of cocaine in the 15-34 age group; and

address the issue of cannabis in the 13-17 age group.

I am open to considering the issue of further such campaigns in association with the Health Service Executive, which is primarily responsible for such initiatives, and, as stated previously, for the issue of suicide.