Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 188: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his Department funds for the operation of the dial-to-stop drug dealing phone line service; if he will confirm that the phone line will continue to receive calls from the public and pass on reports to the gardaí from June 2009 onwards after the funding for advertising runs out as confirmed by his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 303 of 3 February 2009. [7839/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As previously advised to the Deputy, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched on 30 September 2008. The first phase was rolled out 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. 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.

I understand that there is a fixed cost for every call answered so the campaign will run until the funding is exhausted. Accordingly, the Deputy will appreciate that the level of calls over the coming weeks and months will determine the lifetime of the funding.