Written answers

Thursday, 27 September 2007

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

National Drugs Strategy

5:00 pm

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the additional funding he is considering making available to allow for the introduction of new services and the expansion of existing services to address the drugs crisis and in particular the cocaine emergency in view of the tour of the local drugs task force areas conducted over the summer 2007. [21095/07]

Photo of Emmet StaggEmmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals, in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to develop and strengthen the range of projects being undertaken through the local and regional drugs task forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20974/07]

Photo of Pat CareyPat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 13 together.

The National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 has achieved considerable success across a range of areas in reducing the hardship caused to individuals and society by problem drug use.

Under the Strategy, the Government continues to address problem drug use in a co-ordinated way through the original four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research. These have been augmented, following the mid-term review of the Strategy in 2005, by the fifth pillar regarding rehabilitation.

In particular, the Deputy should note that:

the level of drugs seizures by the Gardaí and the Customs Service have been well in excess of the targets set out in the Strategy and they include a number of significant operations;

under the prevention pillar, the SPHE and Walk Tall programmes have been rolled out to all schools; awareness campaigns have been organised and tremendous achievements have been made under the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF);

treatment facilities have increased significantly, with approximately 8,500 in receipt of methadone in July, and a range of services are being provided across the statutory, voluntary and community sectors for various types of problem drug use; and

research in areas such as drugs prevalence, the outcome of heroin treatment, families and drugs, the effect of drugs on communities and cocaine issues have all helped to inform our progress.

The specific achievements of my own Department under the Strategy include the programmes developed by Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces, capital projects developed under the Premises Initiative Fund and preventative actions undertaken through the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund.

The 14 Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) are well established, having been in operation for nearly 10 years now. At this stage, over 440 community-based projects are being supported, employing more than 300 people and delivering a wide range of services and supports for problem drug users, their families and their broader communities. Furthermore, through the Emerging Needs Fund, approximately €4m was allocated to 67 projects last year to ensure that the drugs problem was being combated on the ground in the most timely and flexible way.

An evaluation of approximately 270 interim funded LDTF projects is currently underway and it is expected to be completed later this year. The outcome of this evaluation will help to inform the way forward for any development and strengthening of projects at LDTF level.

Ten Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs) were also established in 2003, thus ensuring that all parts of the country now benefit from the operation of a Drugs Task Force. Following extensive consultation processes, each region prepared a Strategic Plan which are now being rolled out in the different areas. The RDTFs will be pressing ahead towards full implementation of their plans in the coming year or two at a full cost of approx. €14m.

In regard to capital funding, a Premises Initiative Fund is now open to applications from all Drug Task Forces to address the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects. It is envisaged that RDTFs will come forward with an increased range of proposals under this Fund in the coming period.

The Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund was established to assist 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. The main aim of the Fund is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. The target group of the programme is young people in the age range of 10 to 21 years who are defined as "at risk" due to factors such as family circumstances, educational disadvantage, or involvement in crime or substance misuse.

Earlier this week, I was delighted to announce additional capital allocations of nearly €7m to support 42 projects under the Fund. To date, allocations of just over €125m have been made to almost 500 facility & services projects in LDTF areas in Dublin Bray and Cork, as well as in Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities and Carlow town.

The Government is committed to maximising the successful outcomes of the current National Drugs Strategy. The allocation of €50m this year in my Department's Vote clearly illustrates this point. This amount represents an increase of 16% on the 2006 figure and is 87% up on the corresponding figure for 2004. In all, over €200m was spent on various drugs programmes across Government Departments and agencies last year. Indeed, this figure is exclusive of the many mainstream services that are availed of, in the normal way, by those affected by problem drug use.

Meanwhile, we continue to adapt our approach to drugs issues in a flexible manner to address evolving situations. In that regard, I am overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs entitled "An Overview of Cocaine Use in Ireland" largely through the Inter-departmental Group on Drugs, which I chair. In this context, the Deputy should note that significant efforts are being made at both statutory and community level to tackle that problem.

Looking forward, the Programme for Government contains commitments in regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation, developing and strengthening the range of Drug Task Force projects, continuing and extending the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund and providing cocaine specific facilities. I can assure the Deputy that I will be working to ensure that these commitments are fulfilled.

Finally, the Deputy should note that I will shortly be initiating the process that will lead to the formulation of a new National Drugs Strategy for the period post 2008. While the challenges ahead are clearly significant, I am confident that we can build on our experiences and achievements to date in meeting them.

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