Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number and location of the regional drugs task forces; the amount of money invested in these task forces over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26521/07]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the population of the areas served by each of the regional drugs task force; the number of persons employed in each region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26522/07]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 39 together.

Ten Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs) were established in 2003. Following extensive consultation processes, each RDTF prepared a Strategic Plan to respond to illicit drug use in their areas and the implementation of these Plans is now progressing.

As one would expect at the plan development stage, expenditure was low in the early period and is now building up as progress on the implementation of the Plans accelerates. Over the three year period 2004–2006, a total of approximately €5.2m was spent by the RDTFs on the implementation of their Plans. Of that amount, over €4m was expended in 2006 and expenditure in 2007 is likely to exceed €7m. Expenditure will increase further in 2008 as the RDTFs progress towards the full implementation of their Plans which have a full cost of approx €14m per annum. Furthermore, It is now open to RDTFs to seek capital funding under the Premises Initiative and approx €0.8m has been allocated for this so far in 2007. It is expected that allocations under this heading will increase next year.

The following table sets out the area covered by each of the ten RDTFs, current expenditure 2004-2006, the approximate population and the number of people whose employment is funded through each RDTF

Regional Drugs Task Forces

Regional Drugs Task Force: Mid West

Region: Clare, Limerick and Tipperary NR

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.437 million

Approximate Population: 361,028

No. of Persons employed: 7

RDTF Personnel: 3

Project Workers: 4

Regional Drugs Task Force: Midlands

Region: Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.210 million

Approximate Population: 251,664

No. of Persons employed: 4

RDTF Personnel: 3

Project Workers: 1

Regional Drugs Task Force: North East

Region: East Cavan, Louth, Meath and Monaghan

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.671 million

Approximate Population: 362,096

No. of Persons employed: 21

RDTF Personnel: 3

Project Workers: 18

Regional Drugs Task Force: North West

Region: Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and West Cavan

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.241 million

Approximate Population: 269,109

No. of Persons employed: 7

RDTF Personnel: 2

Project Workers: 5

Regional Drugs Task Force: Southern

Region: Cork and Kerry (excl Cork City)

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.398 million

Approximate Population: 501,754

No. of Persons employed: 23

RDTF Personnel: 1

Project Workers: 22

Regional Drugs Task Force: Western

Region: Galway, Mayo and Roscommon

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.501 million

Approximate Population: 414,277

No. of Persons employed: 12

RDTF Personnel: 2

Project Workers: 10

Regional Drugs Task Force: East Coast

Region: Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown and Wicklow

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.468 million

Approximate Population*: 188,231 (excl Bray and Dún Laoghaire)

No. of Persons employed: 16

RDTF Personnel: 3

Project Workers: 13

Regional Drugs Task Force: Northern Area

Region: North Dublin City and Fingal

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.390 million

Approximate Population*: 239,992 (Fingal only)

No. of Persons employed: 10

RDTF Personnel: 2

Project Workers: 8

Regional Drugs Task Force: South West

Region: South Dublin City, South Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow

Expenditure 2004-2006: €0.455 million

Approximate Population*: 433,270 (Kildare and South Dublin)

No. of Persons employed: 8

RDTF Personnel: 3

Project Workers: 5

Regional Drugs Task Force: South East

Region: Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary SR, Waterford and Wexford

Expenditure 2004-2006: €1.437 million

Approximate Population: 460,838

No. of Persons employed: 26

RDTF Personnel: 0 (vacant)

Project Workers: 26

Total Expenditure 2004-2006: €5.208 million

(*The population figures are approximate, with particular reference to the latter three above which cover parts of Dublin.)