Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the date of establishment of the national drugs strategy team; if this group is still in existence; the purpose and role of this group; the number of members of the board of this group; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this group for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5359/08]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST) was set up in late 1996 to help co-ordinate a response to the drug problem. The NDST is a cross-sectoral Team, with representatives from Government Departments and Agencies and from the community and voluntary sectors. The main purpose of the NDST is:

to ensure effective co-ordination in implementing the Government's National Drugs Strategy;

to oversee the work of Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces,

to monitor developments at local level; and

to contribute to the development of Government policy on drugs.

The NDST has a current membership of fifteen people, including the chairperson and director. These represent a range of Departments and Agencies, with two representatives each from the community and voluntary sectors. In my capacity as Minister responsible for the National Drugs Strategy, I appoint the Chairperson. The other members are nominated by their parent Department/Agency or Sector, on the basis of operating in this capacity for two and a half days per week. The salaries and other costs of the Statutory Representatives are borne by the parent Department or Agency. My Department engages the voluntary and community sector representatives on a contract basis and also covers the salaries and other costs of the Director and some of the staff, as well as administrative costs of the NDST.

My Department's expenditure in respect of the NDST from 2003-2007 is a follows:

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the date of establishment of the national monitoring committee overseeing the operation of the RAPID programme; if this group is still in existence; the purpose and role of this group; the number of members of the board of this group; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this group for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5360/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Monitoring Committee, which is still in existence, was established when the RAPID Programme commenced in 2001. The role of the Committee is to support the achievement of greater co-ordination and coherence in actions between the different Departments and agencies with regard to the RAPID Programme. There are twenty-two members of the Committee including the State Sector and Social partners, all appointed by the Agencies/Departments interests that they represent. The Committee has an oversight role in the implementation of the Programme by the relevant lead agencies. The Committee does not have a funding allocation and does not directly incur expenditure.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the date of establishment of Waterways Ireland; if this group is still in existence; the purpose and role of this group; the number of members of the board of this group; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this group for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5361/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Waterways Ireland is a North/South Implementation Body set up in December 1999 under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999. Waterways Ireland has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of certain inland navigable waterways, principally for recreational purposes, including:

the Barrow Navigation

the Erne System

the Grand Canal

the Lower Bann Navigation

the Royal Canal

the Shannon-Erne Waterway

the Shannon Navigation.

In addition, approval has been granted to Waterways Ireland to proceed with the restoration of the stretch of Ulster Canal from Upper Lough Erne to Clones. Waterways Ireland does not have a board, but the body has a Chief Executive appointed by the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC). Waterways Ireland is jointly funded by my Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland. The funding from my own Department for each of the last five years is as follows:

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of board members of the Boord o Ulstér-Scotch who are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5362/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There are eight members of the Agency's Board, four of whom are nominated by the Irish Government and four by the Northern Ireland Executive. Appointments are made formally by the North/South Ministerial Council.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 296: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the date of establishment of each of the 14 local drugs task forces and ten regional drugs task forces; the purpose and role of these task forces; the number of members of the boards of these task forces; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5363/08]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) were established in 1997 in the areas considered to be experiencing the worst levels of opiate misuse. Twelve areas in Dublin — Ballyfermot, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, the Canal Communities, Clondalkin, Dublin North Inner City, Dublin South Inner City, Dublin 12, Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown, Finglas-Cabra, North East Dublin and Tallaght — were involved, as well as Cork City. Bray was later added in 2000.

The ten Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs) were set up under the National Drugs Strategy in 2003, covering all parts of the country not covered by an LDTF, thus achieving full coverage of the country. Their areas of operation generally correspond with the Health Board areas of that time. The RDTF areas are listed in Appendix 1. The main purpose of Drugs Task Forces was to assess the nature and extent of the illicit drug problems in their areas of operation, to develop action plans for a co-ordinated response to those problems and to oversee and monitor projects approved under these action plans. Each Drugs Task Force has an independent Chairperson and comprises representatives of Government Departments and Agencies, elected public representatives and the community and voluntary sectors. The average membership is 21 for LDTFs and 28 for RDTFs. I do not make appointments to Drug Task Forces.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, further to his reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 453, 454 and 455 of 5 February 2008, the number of advisory groups operating under the remit of his Department; the date of establishment of each of these groups; the purpose and role of each group; the number of members of the boards of these groups; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of each group for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5364/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Dept was established in June 2002. At present there are 5 advisory groups operating under the remit of my Department, detailed as follows.

The National Advisory Committee on Drugs

The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) was established in July 2000. The purpose of the NACD is to advise Government in relation to prevalence, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and consequences of problem drug use in Ireland, based on its analysis of research findings and information available to it. Its role is to:

review current information and research capacity;

identify gaps in our knowledge and understanding;

ensure better use of information available from all sectors;

provide analysis and interpretation of research findings;

respond to Government requests to research issues of relevance to policy;

work with the Alcohol and Drugs Research Unit of the Health Research Board and assist with the establishment of a National Documentation Centre;

implement the three year programme of research and evaluation, liaising with all the relevant agencies;

co-ordinate and advise on appropriate research projects and commission research projects; and

promote and encourage debate through the dissemination of research findings.

The Committee has a Chairperson and 18 ordinary members. Members serve at the invitation of the Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy and are drawn from the statutory, community, voluntary and academic sectors. The Minister of State invites nominations from the various sectors but has the scope to make one personal appointment to the committee. This option has not been exercised to date. NACD expenditure over the past five years is €5.17m.

Audit Committee

The Department's Audit Committee was established in 2001. In line with the Mullarkey Report 2002, the Audit Committee was established to provide objective advice and recommendations on the work of Internal Audit Unit. The Audit Committee acts as a support and a resource to the Unit in carrying out its work and advises the Management Advisory Committee in relation to the operation and development of the internal audit function in the Department. The Audit Committee comprises of 1 chairperson and 3 committee members, none of whom are appointed by myself. Board members are appointed by the Management Advisory Committee of my Department.

Comhairle na Tuaithe

Comhairle na Tuaithe was established in February 2004 to address the three priority areas of:

Access to the countryside

Developing a countryside code

Developing a countryside recreation strategy

The membership of Comhairle na Tuaithe is 18, all of whom are appointed by myself. The total spend for Comhairle na Tuaithe since its establishment in 2004 to date is €211,200.07.

Fóram na Gaeilge

Fóram na Gaeilge was established in July 2004. The main purpose of the group is to advice the Government in relation to Irish Language Policy primarily in respect of the following issues;

The preparation of the 20 year strategy for the Irish Language

Short term priority strategy to maintain and promote Irish within the State

Identify priorities in relation to the implementation of the Official Languages Act and the best and most practical ways to advance and implement same. The membership of Fóram na Gaeilge is 26, all of whom are appointed by myself.

An Coimisiún Logainmneacha

An Coimisiún Logainmneacha was established in 1946. The Commission supervises the research programme of the Placenames Branch of my Department, which undertakes research in order to establish the correct Irish language forms of the placenames of Ireland and to publish them for official and public use. The Commission also has a statutory advisory role in relation to Placenames Orders under Part 5 of the Official Languages Act 2003. The membership of An Coimisiún Logainmneacha is 12, all of whom are appointed by myself. Other than routine meeting expenses which are paid by my Department, neither Fóram na Gaeilge, the Audit Committee or An Coimisiún Logainmneacha is a funding body or incurs expenditure.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the date of establishment of the national advisory committee on drugs; if this committee is still in existence; the purpose and role of this committee; the number of members of the board of this committee; the number of whom are appointed by himself; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the expenditure of this committee for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5366/08]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) was established in July 2000 under the auspices of the Department of Tourism, Sport & Recreation. Since June 2002, the NACD operates under the auspices of this Department. The mandate of the NACD has been extended to July 2008 to coincide with the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. Further information on the NACD, and its comprehensive array of publications, is available on its website www.nacd.ie

The purpose of the NACD is to advise Government in relation to prevalence, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and consequences of problem drug use in Ireland, based on its analysis of research findings and information available to it. Its role includes reviewing current information, identifying gaps in our knowledge and understanding and providing analysis and interpretation of research findings. The Committee has a chairperson and 18 ordinary members. Members are appointed by me and are drawn from the statutory, community, voluntary and academic sectors. Nominations are invited from the various sectors and there is the scope to make one personal appointment to the Committee. This option has not been exercised by me to date.

The NACD's expenditure over the past five years is as follows: