Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of parent support groups against the use of drugs or illicit substances that her Department has funded or met with; the amount of funds allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3993/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department contributes fully to the overall aim of the Government's policy in relation to drugs, which is to provide an effective, integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse. As part of this process, my Department is represented at senior level on the National Drugs Strategy Team and on the Interdepartmental Group which in turn reports to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion. In addition, my Department is represented on all Drugs Task Forces, both Local and Regional. Through representation on these groups officials in my Department have built up contacts with a wide range of community and voluntary groups.

With regard to funding, €3.7m has been allocated by this Department to fund 36 mainstreamed Local Drugs Task Force projects in 2008. These include community, outreach, youth, traveller and school based programmes operated mainly through the Dublin City, Co Dublin and Dun Laoghaire VECs.