Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding disbursed by his Department to or through the various bodies involved in combating the drugs problem; the number of placements and-or rehabilitation programmes provided for in this context in each of the past four years and to date in 2010 throughout County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8567/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding disbursed by his Department to or through the various bodies involved in combating the drugs problem; the number of placements and-or rehabilitation programmes provided for in this context in each of the past four years and to date in 2010 on a county basis. [8568/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent of funding provided by his Department to various groups involved in the fight against drugs throughout County Kildare in each of the past four years and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8569/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent of funding provided by his Department to various groups involved in the fight against drugs throughout the country on a county basis in each of the past four years and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8570/10]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 to 136, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the majority of expenditure allocated to community groups through my Department for drugs initiatives is channelled through the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs). The areas covered by the Task Forces are detailed below. The annual funding allocations are not made on a county basis but rather on a Task Force basis. As a result, while some of the projects funded may be county specific, others provide benefits broadly across the Task Force region as a whole.

In excess of €31m is being made available to fund the activities of the Task Forces in 2010, of which €21.045m is being allocated to the Local Drugs Task Forces and €10m to the Regionals. This funding will support nearly 500 initiatives in the Task Force areas in 2010. Of this funding, in the region of 50% will support projects with a treatment and rehabilitation focus. This is broadly similar to the ratio in 2008 and 2009 where total funding allocated was €34.6m and €32.5m respectively. The Deputy should note that these sums include additional dedicated funds, originally approved in 2008, to support rehabilitation initiatives in Task Force areas. In 2006 and 2007, the funding allocated was over €26m and €29m respectively. In the case of this funding, the ratio for treatment and rehabilitation focussed projects was over 30%. In addition to the Task Force monies, funding of €425,000 in 2010 will be provided to support three homeless-related rehabilitation projects in Dublin City.

Under the Premises Initiative Fund, which addresses the accommodation needs of community projects in Task Force areas, over €5m was approved in the period 2006 to 2009 in respect of 37 capital projects, a number of which focus on rehabilitation. In addition, reflecting the priorities set out in the new National Drugs Strategy, particularly in the area of treatment and rehabilitation, dedicated funding of over €1.4m was provided for eleven large scale projects across the country in 2009. The majority of the funding covered refurbishment works, including a number of HSE treatment clinics in key targeted areas where methadone treatment waiting lists were the most problematic. Furthermore, Dormant Accounts funding of €1.56m was approved in 2009 for 80 substance misuse projects with a family support focus in the Task Force areas, building on the recognition of the key role that supportive families play in the rehabilitation process.

In relation to County Kildare, which forms part of the South West Regional Drugs Task Force (SWRDTF) area, the SWRDTF allocations to projects for the years 2006 to 2010 is set out in the following table. The Drugs Education and Prevention Initiative (SW 1) has a regional brief but focuses on the Kildare area. The Counselling Services (SW 2 and SW 3) and the Diversionary Fund (SW 6) figures are specifically for Kildare (with the exception of the 2010 figures, this is the project's full allocation for 2010 and has not been allocated to date). The ARAS (SW-8&11) project is funded by the SWRDTF with bases in Newbridge, Celbridge, Maynooth and Athy. The Under 18s project focuses on the Kildare and West Wicklow areas. In addition, capital premises funding of €22,354 in 2007 and €25,000 in 2009 was provided for the Kildare area. I am also informed the SWRDTF has not had any specific rehabilitation projects. SWRDTF Budget Allocations – SWRDTF - Kildare Specific

Dormant Account Funding

Cocaine Awareness funding received in 2008 - 20,000.

Family Support applications – 3 Projects receiving funding in October 2009 – ARAS, Cuan Mhuire and KCEP 63,700 (Kildare)

Capital Premises Funding

Capital Premises Funding – 2007 – 22,354 (Kildare)

Capital Premises Funding – 2009 – 25,000 (Kildare)

Once-Off Funding -

SW-10 Harm Reduction Research - 2008 - 40,000 (Regional)

Local Drugs Task Force areas

· Ballyfermot

· Ballymun

· Blanchardstown

· Bray

· Canal Communities

· Clondalkin

· Cork City

· Dublin North East

· Dublin 12

· Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown

· Finglas / Cabra

· North Inner City

· South Inner City

· Tallaght

Regional Drugs Task Forces Area Covered

· East Coast Area Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown & East Wicklow.

· North City Dublin and Co. North Dublin City and Fingal.

South-Western Area South Dublin City, South Dublin, Kildare & West Wicklow.

· Midlands Longford, Westmeath, Offaly & Laois.

· Mid-West Clare, North Tipperary & Limerick.

· North-Eastern Monaghan, East Cavan, Meath & Louth.

· North-Western West Cavan, Donegal, Sligo & Leitrim.

· Southern Cork County and Kerry

· South-Eastern Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary

South & Waterford

· Western Mayo, Roscommon & Galway.