Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if, under the Garda juvenile diversion programmes, his Department has any input into these programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39287/10]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has met with other Government Departments in relation to continued anti-social behaviour in communities; if such meetings have included local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39289/10]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department has had a role in the joint policing committee programme in view of the importance of such schemes to our communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39292/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 81 and 87 together.

With regard to the National Youth Justice Oversight Group, which monitors the progress of the National Youth Justice Strategy 2008-2010, while my Department is represented on the group, the development of juvenile diversion programmes is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, and the Garda Síochána. Officials of my Department regularly meet and liaise with other Government Departments and local authorities on a wide range of matters in relation to the programmes we deliver, including those programmes which seek to tackle and reduce anti-social behaviour in communities. This would include meetings related to the RAPID Programme, which nationally supports the development and implementation of locally-led responses to anti-social behaviour and community safety.

Over the past number of years, several innovative measures were introduced to RAPID areas in the area of community safety, including, an anti-graffiti programme supported by the Departments of Justice and Law Reform; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; and my own Department, which facilitated an anti-graffiti impact in a range of cities and towns. Another such measure was the community-based CCTV Programme, funded under the RAPID programme, which was operated by the Department of Justice and Law Reform, in close liaison with my own Department.

As the Deputies will be aware, my Department also has responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. Given the role of substance misuse as a contributor to anti-social behaviour, such behaviour is a key concern for many of the Drug Task Forces funded by my Department, which liaise on a regular basis with relevant local authorities, agencies and organisations on this issue. In relation to the Joint Policing Committee programme, responsibility for this programme is also a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Law Reform. My view, however, is that this programme has considerable potential in terms of dealing with problem drug use and this is reflected in the actions relating to the programme outlined in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016.