Vol. 437 No. 1
86 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that an inter-agency group has been set up in Dublin's North Inner City under the aegis of the Inner City Organisations Network, ICON, to comprehensively tackle the serious drugs problem there and that her Department is the only agency to refuse to nominate an official participant; if she will review this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I am aware of the setting up of the group referred to and that my Department declined an invitation to nominate a representative to the group.
I understand that the group being set up by ICON will include public representatives and will act as a lobby group to initiate activities that it considers necessary to deal with the drugs problem in the area. I trust that the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for my Department to nominate an official to participate in a group which describes itself as a lobby group.
This does not reflect any lack of commitment on my part to dealing with the drugs problem in the north inner city nor does it imply any particular attitude towards the group in question. Officials of my Department have met representatives of the group and will do so again if the need arises. But it is a different matter to expect that civil servants should be nominated to a lobby group — no matter how worth while the objectives or how sincere the motives of that group.
