Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if research has been detailed to determine if recent articles in a national newspaper had an effect in educating parents, teenagers, volunteers and so on in the dangers of illicit substances and their misuses; if so, the action that has taken place or the funding allocated to underpin such actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18824/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The "Lets Talk Drugs" information booklet, published in a national newspaper last January, was welcomed by my colleague Pat Carey T.D. Minister of State, as a contribution to the overall effort to educate parents — and young people in particular — on the dangers of illicit drugs and to highlight the best ways to cope with the threats involved. No research has been carried out to date to determine the impact this booklet has had.

An earlier comprehensive broadsheet publication from the same source published in November last year, was circulated to all second level schools in December, with funding from my Department. The Deputy may be familiar with this publication as it was circulated to all Oireachtas Members. Apart from providing useful information on drugs for young people, the publication also contained inputs from various people and differing views were put forward on how best to tackle different aspects of the drugs problem. This was seen as a means of stimulating debate on the drugs issue at a time when proposals for a new National Drugs Strategy for 2009–2016 are being developed.

Also, as part of the National Drugs Awareness Campaign, which is led by the Health Services Executive (HSE), two information leaflets, "Know the facts about drugs" and "Cocaine the facts" were recently published and are available through the Health Promotion Unit of the HSE or through www.healthinfo.ie. These complement the overall campaign which is focused on cocaine.

Furthermore, in March last, funding of €0.5m was announced for cocaine awareness campaigns at Drug Task Force level to dovetail with the national campaign. This funding will be allocated to suitable projects over the coming months.