Vol. 482 No. 3
347 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the total amount of funding allocated under the drugs taskforce; the recipients of these moneys; the amount of money received by each recipient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17922/97]
Thirteen local drugs task forces were set up in Dublin and north Cork city.
They were mandated to prepare action plans to tackle the drugs problem in their areas of operation and submit these plans to the national drugs strategy team for evaluation. The Government set aside funding of £10 million to support the implementation of the plans.
The Government, acting on the advice of the national drugs strategy team, has approved interim funding to 11 task forces to allow them to proceed with elements of their plans. The interim allocations are as follows: Tallaght, £474,700; Crumlin, £400,000; Clondalkin, £436,000; Ballymun, £495,000; Canal Communities (RialtoInchicore-Bluebell), £465,000; Dublin North Inner City, £469,000; Ballyfermot, £400,000; Dublin South Inner City, £404,220; North East Dublin, £250,000; Finglas-Cabra, £495,500; Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, £547,865.
The outstanding plans from the task forces in Blanchardstown and north Cork city are currently being evaluated by the national drugs strategy team and the team hopes to be in a position to make recommendations to Government regarding the definitive funding to implement each of the plans in the very near future.
