Michael Ahern
Question:49 Mr. M. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice her views on the involvement of local communities in the fight against drugs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2131/97]
Written Answers. - Drug Abuse.
I fully support the involvement of those who live and work in local communities in co-operation with statutory agencies, including the Garda Síochána, in the fight against drugs. Local communities know the extent of the problem in individual areas and can provide informed advice on the measures necessary to tackle the drugs problem, taking into account the specific needs of each area.
This approach is reflected in the recommendations of the first report of the Ministerial Task Force on Measures to Reduce the Demand for Drugs. This report recommended the establishment of new structures designed to achieve a more effective and co-ordinated delivery of drugs services at national, regional and local level. At national level a Cabinet drugs committee and a national drugs strategy team has been established to develop the Government's strategy against drugs and to oversee its implementation. At regional level there will be regional co-ordinating committees in each health board area, providing a valuable forum for joint planning between the various agencies and the voluntary/community sector.
The ministerial task force has also recommended the establishment of a local drugs task force for each of the areas identified by the report as having the most acute drugs problem. This recommendation has been approved by the Government and these local task forces will be commencing work within the next few weeks.
The local drugs task forces will comprise representatives of all relevant agencies, including the health board, the gardaí, the probation and welfare service, the relevant local authority, the local youth service and voluntary drugs services, together with six community representatives, a chairperson proposed by the local partnership board and a co-ordinator provided by the relevant health board.
I am convinced that this is the way forward in addressing the menace of drugs abuse which is the frequent cause of crime and which wrecks the lives of so many young people and their families. Needless to say, all members of the community can assist the gardaí by providing them with whatever information they may have in relation to criminal activity in their locality. I would urge people to do so by way of the Garda confidential telephone line or at any Garda station and I can assure you that information will be acted upon.
The new structures which are being put in place will complement the initiatives which the Garda Commissioner and I are taking to confront those who deal in drugs, such as, Operation Dóchas, which involves the deployment of over 500 gardaí throughout Dublin; recruitment of over 400 extra gardaí by October 1997; recruitment of 200 civilians to release gardaí for operational duty; establishment of the Criminal Assets Bureau; provision of additional prison spaces.
The Government has also introduced a package of tough legislation designed to strengthen the hand of the gardaí against the so-called drugs barons, as follows: The Proceeds of Crime Act, 1996 which provides for the freezing and forfeiture of the proceeds of crime; The Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 which provides for longer periods of detention of suspects; The Disclosure of Certain Information for Taxation and Other Purposes Act, 1996 which provides for more effective exchange of information between the Garda and the Revenue Commissioners.
I believe that the combination of all the measures which I have referred to, which includes substantial input from local communities, will lead to a significant reduction in the demand for drugs through improved prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes and through the tougher action being taken against those who supply drugs.