Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 4 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 3

Written Answers. - Ministerial Travel.

Bernard Allen

Question:

31 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the foreign visits which he or his Minister of State has undertaken on official business since the beginning of the 2001 summer recess; the plans he has to partake in further visits for the remainder of 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22407/01]

David Stanton

Question:

163 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the foreign visits which he or his Minister of State has undertaken on official business since the beginning of the 2001 summer recess; the plans he has to partake in further visits for the remainder of 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22650/01]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

I propose to take Questions

Nos. 31 and 163 together.

I did not undertake any foreign visits on official business since the beginning of the 2001 recess and I have no definitive plans at present to undertake any such visits for the remainder of 2001.

The Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Eoin Ryan, travelled to Greece on 5 Sep tember 2001 for a three day fact-finding visit in relation to Greek drugs policy, with particular reference to their rehabilitation programmes for recovering drug users. Over the course of the visit, he met with the Deputy Minister for Health who is responsible for the development of drugs policy in Greece and visited a number of very interesting drug projects.

The Minister of State also intends to travel to Italy on 25 October next to address the International Rainbow Conference on Drugs which is being sponsored by the UN. The conference brings together organisations and Government representatives from a wide variety of countries and disciplines who are addressing the drugs problem in their country.