David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the programme dial to stop drug dealing; if he will ensure that sufficient funding is in place to enable such programmes to continue and to be rolled out across this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5617/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched on 30 September 2008. The first phase was ran across five Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces areas with funding being provided by my Department (€100,000) and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (€50,000). As highlighted during the launch, the confidential number used in the campaign is open for all to use regardless of the area they come from.

Overall, I believe that the campaign to date has proved to be successful. In this context, I understand that there have been well over 1,000 calls to the phone-line that have generated in excess of 300 information reports to the Gardaí. An Garda Síochána has confirmed that, to date, the information gathered has proved useful to their enquiries and has yielded a number of seizures and arrests. In all areas where the campaign is being rolled out, the local Gardaí are following strong lines of enquiry resulting from the information arising from the free phone number. The next phases of the campaign will be funded from the Dormant Accounts Fund and an indicative allocation of €300,000 has been approved for the campaign in 2009. I expect to have Government approval shortly on the specific Local and Regional Drugs Task Force proposals involved.

With regard to any future funding, as the Dormant Accounts funding is once- off in nature, the €300,000 referred to above is the total that will be allocated. As the allocation for funding for drugs initiatives in my Department in 2009 is fully committed, I regret that there is no scope, at present, for further campaigns. Notwithstanding this, the Deputy should note that all of the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces were consulted to assess their interest in rolling out a local campaign. While several opted not to run one, I am satisfied that, with the available funding, the majority of the Task Forces will be engaged in the process. In this context, I would again point out that the campaign confidential number is open for all to use regardless of the area they come from.