Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 717: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of community based schemes involved in drug rehabilitation funded by his Department in 2006 and 2007; the extent to which he proposes to increase such support with a view to dealing with the drugs issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15343/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Over 400 Local Drugs Task Force projects, including those under the Emerging Needs Fund, received interim funding from my Department in 2006. Of these, in the region of 200 projects dealt with the issues of treatment and rehabilitation and these will be continue to be funded in 2007. Across the ten Regional Drug Task Force areas, 42 treatment and rehabilitation projects were initiated in 2006 and it is expected that this will rise to a total of 62 by the end of 2007.

The Deputy should also note that the Report of the Working Group on Drug Rehabilitation will be published in the next few weeks. The key recommendations focus on providing a continuum of care for clients through planned progression paths for each problem drug user, while ensuring that quality standards are achieved in the services provided. The Report also focuses on wider supports needed by recovering problem drug users in areas such as access to education and employment, housing and child care, while recognising the need to involve the families of problem drug users in the process.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 718: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of applications he received for funding from community based schemes involved in combating drugs throughout the greater Dublin area in the past 12 months; the number of such applications that were successful; his proposals to make a further offer to those that were unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15344/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The bulk of expenditure on drugs initiatives allocated to community groups through my Department is channelled annually to on-going projects through the Local Drugs Task Forces, the Regional Drugs Task Forces and the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF).

Local and Regional Drugs Task Force projects normally originate at Task Force level and are submitted to the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST). Following consideration by the NDST, recommendations for funding of some projects are made to my Department. Under the YPFSF, projects come through Development Groups in the designated areas and are submitted to the National Assessment Committee of the YPFSF, chaired by my Department. In the event of projects not being selected for submission, it is open to project promoters at community level to pursue the matter with the relevant Drugs Task Force or Development Group.

In 2006/2007 to date, I have approved all the projects which were submitted to me under the Premises Initiative Fund (capital projects at Local and Regional Drugs Task Force level), the Emerging Needs Fund (mostly current projects for Local Drugs Task Force level) and the YPFSF (current and capital projects). The Premises Initiative Fund was established to meet the accommodation needs of community-based drug projects. I approved funding for 10 such projects in 2006 in the greater Dublin area and a further 11, to date, in 2007. The Emerging Needs Fund was established to support projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas to respond in a timely and flexible way to new and emerging needs. I approved a total of 59 projects in the greater Dublin area under this Fund in 2006.

The YPFSF assists in the development of Youth Facilities, (including sport and recreational facilities), and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. Under this Fund, 6 new current projects in the greater Dublin area were approved in 2006 and these will continue to receive funding in 2007. I approved funding for 17 new capital projects in 2006, with a further 5 being approved so far this year.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 719: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will establish as a matter of urgency, due to the deteriorating situation with drug misuse in Limerick and particularly around heroin abuse and its associated problems, a local drugs task force dedicated to providing services in Limerick city. [15366/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Up-to-date and comprehensive data on the misuse of drugs will start to become available in the autumn with the publication of the first results from the second all-island Drug Prevalence Survey, the fieldwork for which is now nearing completion. Furthermore, with respect to heroin misuse in particular, another national study is being commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and figures from this are expected to be available in early 2008. These surveys will give us a much clearer view of the prevalence and changing nature of drug misuse all over Ireland.

Meanwhile, I can assure the Deputy of my commitment, and that of the Government, to tackling the drugs problem in Limerick City and, indeed, all over the country. With regard to Limerick City, I feel, however, that the drug problem there can best and most effectively be dealt with through the establishment of a subgroup of the Midwest Regional Drugs Task Force, rather than through the establishment of a separate Local Drugs Task Force structure.