Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 607: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the budget allocation for and the actual expenditure by An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the Probation Service and by his Department in implementing the actions of the National Drugs Strategy Unit for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35299/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that my Department, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service all continue to actively participate in the framework established under the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 and in the progression of the Strategy actions.

With regard to the data sought by the Deputy concerning the specific budget allocation and expenditure, as set against each of the Strategy actions, I am informed that such data it is not currently collated and its collation may not, in any event, be feasible with regard to all of the Strategy actions.

However, what may be of assistance to the Deputy is the expenditure data which is periodically collated by the Department of Health, in its capacity as the lead Department with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy.

This exercise is undertaken for the purpose of determining the estimated overall expenditure by Government Departments and agencies which can be deemed to be directly attributable to drugs programmes.

The table set out below provides details of the expenditure data, as provided to the Department of Health, for the period 2008-2011 inclusive. Expenditure in respect of 2007 is not available.

As the Deputy will appreciate, it is difficult to provide figures that would be any more precise than an estimate of total expenditure as all of the relevant bodies will, as part of their day to day work, spend time and resources dealing with drugs issues.

* Please note that as of 1 January 2011 a number of community based projects previously under the auspices of the Probation Service were transferred to be under the remit of the Irish Youth Justice Service with an accompanying transfer of funding.