Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the additional funding and functions planned by his Department or the national drugs task force in response to the very significant increase in the level of cocaine use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4741/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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At my request, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) and the National Drug Strategy Team (NDST) recently prepared a joint briefing paper on cocaine, based on existing data in Ireland. The paper, which is due to be published in early March, concluded that all data sources indicated an upward trend in cocaine use. A number of recommendations are made in the paper, principally in regard to treatment, but also covering supply, prevention and research.

The paper and its recommendations were discussed at the Inter-departmental Group (IDG) Meeting on Drugs in December last and will be further discussed at the next IDG Meeting in March. A key conclusion of the report is that treatment, primarily in the form of counselling, can and does work and, in this context, the provision of some cocaine specific clinics in areas where cocaine problems are more acute will be considered. However, in the broader context, I am of the view that we should work towards having drug services that can cater for the individual problem drug user, regardless of the drugs they use.

Another key recommendation relates to the training of frontline personnel to deal with cocaine issues. I have already funded a training initiative in this regard, as well as four pilot cocaine treatment projects to examine different methods of treatment for cocaine use. The outcomes of those projects which have been completed are being examined at present to see to what extent they can inform the way forward. Furthermore, the NDST along with the Drug Task Forces, will continue to review the needs in communities.

Meanwhile, the Deputy should note that work on the second all-island Drugs Prevalence Survey is in progress and it is expected that a first report of national prevalence figures and trends will be available in the latter part of this year. This will give much greater clarity on the overall prevalence of cocaine.

With regard to funding, any additional allocations for cocaine specific initiatives will be considered in the context of the overall provision for drug-related services when the Revised Estimates Volume is published in the coming weeks.

The challenges posed by cocaine use are significant but I am confident that we can meet these challenges through a co-ordinated approach utilising the structures of the National Drugs Strategy.