Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on whether the dial-to-stop drug dealing campaign has been a success; if he has feedback on the number of calls to the scheme; his plans to increase or change the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2572/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason groups (details supplied) were not listed in his response to parliamentary Question No. 284 of 2 December 2008 outlining the schedule for the roll-out of the dial-to-stop drug dealing non-Garda confidential phoneline campaign. [46625/08]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 35 together.

As the Deputies will be aware, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched on 30 September 2008. This initiative involves a number of local and regional campaigns run through the mechanism of the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. The campaigns are designed to encourage people to provide any information they may have on drug dealing — anonymously if required — through a confidential telephone line. This information will then be forwarded to An Garda Síochána. It should be noted that each local campaign has been tailored to the requirements of each area — as identified by the Drugs Task Force — working closely with local communities. The input and co-operation of local communities is essential to maximise the effect of the campaign in their areas.

All Task Forces were canvassed in 2007 and again in 2008 to gauge their interest in running a campaign. The NDST then assessed applications based on readiness and willingness to proceed, the capacity of the Task Force to deliver and the potential impact of the campaigns in the Task Force areas. The Task Forces to which the Deputy refers did not meet these criteria.

Overall, I believe that the campaign to date has proved to be successful. According to the latest information on it, there have been approximately 1,100 calls to the phone-line which has generated 306 information reports to the Gardaí. An Garda Síochána have confirmed that, to date, information gathered as a result of the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing campaign has proved useful to their enquiries and has yielded one significant seizure. The first phase of the campaign ran across five Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces areas. In all areas where the campaign has rolled out, the local Gardaí are following strong lines of enquiry resulting from the information arising from the free phone number.

It is planned that campaigns in the remaining Task Force areas that opted to run a campaign will be rolled out this year. In addition to providing further information that will aid the Gardaí's efforts in tackling drug dealing in local areas, it is expected that campaigns will have significant added value in promoting greater links between the community and the Gardaí and in promoting drug awareness at community level.

The next phases of the campaign will be funded with Dormant Accounts support. Approval is currently being sought for these proposals and a decision is expected in the coming weeks. Following approval, it is planned to run the campaigns in the following Drugs Task Force areas: Cork City LDTF & Southern RDTF area; Mid West RDTF including Limerick City; North Dublin City & County RDTF; and South East RDTF; Bray, Dun Laoghaire and Finglas Cabra LDTFs; and East Coast and Midlands RDTFs.

Public Communications Centre, the agency tasked with co-ordinating the campaign, has conducted an evaluation of its first phase and the recommendations made will serve to improve the subsequent campaigns. These recommendations have been circulated to all Task Forces to be taken on board, in so far as practicable, when developing future campaigns. However, each campaign will continue to be planned and launched by the Task Force, in conjunction with local communities.