Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number and location of dedicated cocaine addiction workers employed by the local drugs task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33498/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, there are 14 Local Drugs Task Force (LDTF) areas — 12 are located in Dublin, one in Cork City and one in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

There are almost 400 people employed — both full and part-time — in a wide range of projects across the 14 LDTFs. These workers include addiction counsellors, outreach workers, project managers and co-ordinators, family support workers, education/prevention officers etc. However, as poly-drug use is on the increase, these workers deal with a range of issues — including but not exclusively — issues related to cocaine misuse.

It is worth noting, however, that under the Emerging Needs Fund, seven dedicated cocaine specific projects were approved for funding in 2005/06. A further nine projects aimed at poly-drug/cocaine use are also being supported under that Fund. Over €1m is provided annually through the National Drugs Strategy to support these projects and I recently approved an additional €300,000 to further develop and enhance four of these initiatives.

The Deputy should also note that my Department provided funding for four pilot cocaine projects to examine different methods of treatment for cocaine use, as well as a training initiative for frontline personnel to deal with cocaine issues. In this regard, I recently approved almost €150,000 for one of these projects — located in Tallaght — to further develop their response to cocaine.

Finally, it should be noted that a further €750,000 is being provided this year to address cocaine use in local communities across both Regional and Local Drugs Task Force areas. The majority of this allocation will fund dedicated cocaine and poly-drug workers and 12 such proposals were approved — seven of which are located in Local Drugs Task Force areas. The funding will also provide for cross-Task Force cocaine training.