Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals for the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41615/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I am confident that the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 will provide a comprehensive response to problem drug use in Ireland. The Strategy seeks to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. This pillar approach is being retained as it has proved effective to date, it was widely supported during the consultation process on a new Strategy and it dovetails with the EU Action Plan on Drugs 2009-2012. The Actions set out in the Strategy will facilitate a planned and monitored approach to achieving the overall strategic objective.

A number of the Actions of the Strategy focus on co-ordination arrangements to facilitate implementation. The changes made in institutional structures, including the establishment of an Office of the Minister for Drugs, facilitate that role. These changes will also streamline administration and facilitate more effective co-ordination and partnership. Under the Strategy, I will be meeting twice a year with a number of Ministers and various senior officials who are directly involved in the work to address the drugs problem. I am currently undertaking the first round of such meetings and I am stressing the need for Departments and agencies to ensure that high priority is given achieving the objectives of Strategy. These meetings facilitate a good exchange of views, and they also focus on the importance of the continued effective implementation of other programmes that impact on the factors underpinning problem drug use.

An Oversight Forum on Drugs, which I chair, has been established and the first meeting of the Forum was held last month. The primary role of the Oversight Forum on Drugs is the on-going high level examination of progress across the Strategy and to address any operational difficulties and blockages that may arise. A Drugs Advisory Group has also been set up with membership from across the statutory, community and voluntary sectors. This Group, which meets regularly, advises the Minister on operational and policy matters relating to the National Drugs Strategy, and oversees and supports the work of the Drugs Task Forces.

The implementation of the Strategy will have to be achieved in a situation of limited funding and so the optimum use of the available resources is essential. However, these resources are considerable, with the estimated expenditure on the drugs problem across Departments and agencies in 2009 being in excess of €275m. The difficulties facing our society as a consequence of problem drug use are significant, and addressing all the factors involved will not be easy. However, I am determined that real progress will be made across the period of the Strategy, with all sectors working in a co-ordinated and targeted way, to achieve the implementation of the agreed Actions.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fear in many drugs projects that they will not be able to deliver their services if he implements cuts in their budgets, including closure of services. [41673/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the majority of expenditure allocated through my Department to community groups involved in drugs initiatives is channelled though the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. Of the total drugs funding in my Department's Vote in 2009, over 92% is targeted at Task Force-related activities. The revised allocation, following the Supplementary Budget in April, for community-based initiatives in the Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas is €32.5m which will support in the region of 530 projects. I also recently approved over €550k towards small-scale capital premises funding in both Local and Regional Task Force areas which is part of €4.5m being spent on all drugs related capital expenditure. No area is immune to cost cutting measures in the current economic environment. It is in this context that all Drugs Task Forces must live within the budgets allocated for their areas of responsibility and I fully appreciate this involves some difficult choices having to be made.

Sustained incremental funding over recent years has facilitated, among others, the strengthening of existing projects in the LDTF areas, the rolling out of a range of projects and initiatives in the RDTF areas, introducing new initiatives and responses to address cocaine usage and supporting rehabilitation and ongoing investment in capital projects. These are recognised by Government as key areas to support communities to address the harm caused by problem drugs use and to deliver meaningful solutions. I can assure the Deputy that my primary concern has been - and continues to be - the protection of front-line community-based services delivering vital programmes and initiatives in areas worst affected by problem drug use.

I am, of course, acutely aware of the challenges reduced budget allocations pose. I know that other Departments and Agencies are also very aware of this in the context of their engagement in the Drugs Strategy and the available funding to them for mainstreamed drugs projects and services. However, we have to take account of the current economic reality and of the pressure on the public finances. This, inevitably, means that some schemes will be affected but properly managed, this may also lead to improved efficiencies in services and foster better interagency working to the benefit of all.

The Deputy should also note that Drugs Task Forces have benefitted from funding under the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF). In addition to supporting the Dial to Stop Drug Dealing campaigns in Task Force areas, 80 projects in 23 of the Task Force areas were recently approved funding from the DAF for initiatives aimed at improving services for families of drug misusers. The Deputy will be aware that, across Government, we are taking a number of difficult decisions, but our approach is to do this in as balanced a way as possible. There is a critical need to ensure that resources are directed in a targeted and effective manner and that the maximum benefit is achieved.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent annual report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction which found that Ireland has the fourth highest use of cocaine among 15 to 24 year olds in Europe; the steps that are being taken to increase awareness among this group of the dangers of cocaine and to reduce demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41643/09]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent annual report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction which found that Ireland has the fourth highest use of cocaine among 15 to 24 year olds in Europe; the interventions or proposals within the National Drugs Strategy 2009 - 2016 which will address this matter; if progress has been made to date in 2009 under the plan to address the report's concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41719/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 326 together.

I am aware of the 2009 Annual Report of the European Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction which was published earlier this month. The drug prevalence figures contained in the report are compiled from the latest figures available for individual countries. In the case of Ireland the figures reflect the outcome of the all-island Drug Prevalence Survey 2006/07, which provides the best estimate of the drug prevalence in this country. One of the findings of the 2006/07 survey was the emergence of cocaine as a threat, particularly among younger adults. Accordingly, the report of the EMCDDA does not contain any surprises in relation to the figures for cocaine use here.

Direct international comparisons of the use of cocaine are difficult in the light of the differences in the time period to which figures for the various countries apply. This is also reflected by the greater use of cocaine in western Europe compared to central Europe where amphetamines are a bigger problem and the fact that many drug users are now engaged in polydrug use, another issue brought out in the EMCDDA publication. At the same time, the levels of cocaine use documented by the EMCDDA raise some concerns. Arising from the outcomes of the Drug Prevalence Survey 2006/07, and a subsequent report from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, a national drugs awareness campaign focusing on cocaine was implemented in 2008, led by the HSE. Local cocaine campaigns, dovetailing with the national campaign, were organised through Drugs Task Forces at the same time.

The recently launched National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 includes a number of Actions under the Prevention Pillar that will increase awareness of the dangers of cocaine among 15 to 24 years olds. These include both in-school and out-of school initiatives, measures aimed at the general population and others targeted at those who are deemed to be most at risk, as well as family focused interventions. Structures have been put in place to facilitate the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 and to manage performance under the various Actions of the Strategy. I am satisfied that the implementation of these Actions will address significantly on the levels of cocaine use among young adults.