Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 649: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent of the budget cuts to local drugs task force mainstreamed funding in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown; if his attention has been drawn to the impact this will have on services in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4608/10]

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 650: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the withdrawal of local drugs task force mainstreamed funding to a project (details supplied) in County Dublin which adversely affects the provision of services; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this will force the project to cease providing services from the end of March 2010, leaving the surrounding area with no youth service provision; if he will reverse the decision to cease funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4612/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 650 together.

My Department provides funding for thirty eight projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas, including the projects specifically referred to by Deputies Mitchell and Barrett. These projects, through a variety of programmes and activities, seek, in the main, to encourage young people not to engage in drug-taking. My Department originally took on responsibility for funding these projects through a mainstreaming process, whereby projects on interim funding were assigned to a number of departments and State agencies. Thirty five of the projects are administered by the three VECs in Dublin City, Dublin County and in Dún Laoghaire, while the remaining three projects are funded directly by my Department. The allocations for the 38 projects over the past three years were as follows: 2007 - €3,621,000 2008 - €3,715,000 2009 - €3,643,000

Arising from Budget 2010, it was decided that funding for these projects was to be reduced to €2,461,000 in 2010. I acknowledge the difficulties arising for projects and my Department is currently reviewing the implications of this decision for the individual projects concerned.