My Department is fully committed to the overall aim of the Government's drugs policy which is to provide an effective, integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse. As part of this process, my Department is represented at senior level on the national drugs strategy team and on the interdepartmental group which, in turn, reports to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion of which I am a member.
In relation to representation on the local drugs task forces, the areas covered by the task forces correspond to a great extent to areas covered by the area based partnerships. The educational issues of concern to the drugs task forces are also the concern of the education sub-committees of the partnerships. My Department is represented on each partnership and also provides the funding for full-time and part-time education co-ordinators to support the work of the partnerships. In the circumstances, given the need for co-operation and integration at local level, my Department proposed that its representation on the drugs task forces be provided by the education co-ordinators of the partnerships. This is a reasonable and workable arrangement.
My Department has taken a number of initiatives in the fight against drugs. A programme of substance misuse prevention education for primary schools was developed by my Department in consultation with the partners in education and all other relevant interests. This programme is called Walk Tall and its dissemination commenced in January 1999. It has now been introduced to 2,150 primary schools, which represents approximately 67% of primary schools. The funds provided for the dissemination in 1999 amounted to £500,000 and a similar amount has been provided in 2000 to continue the process.
At second level, the substance misuse prevention programme, On My Own Two Feet, has been introduced in approximately 570 post primary schools. This represents 75% of the total number of post primary schools.
Additional informationA total of £70,000 was spent on this programme in 1999. In addition, it is planned that social, personal and health education – SPHE – including substance misuse prevention education, will be phased into all schools at junior cycle over a three year period, beginning in September 2000.
The role of my Department in the fight against drugs is further strengthened by the young people's facilities and services fund. An Exchequer contribution of approximately £35 million over three years has been set aside for this fund which was established by the Government in 1998 to assist in the development of preventative strategies in a targeted manner through the pro vision of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop.
