Liz McManus
Question:9 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education and Science the implications of the national drugs strategy for his Department; and the steps he is taking and the timescale concerned, to comply fully with this strategy. [2791/02]
Other Questions. - National Drugs Strategy.
My Department is fully committed to the overall strategic objective for the national drugs strategy, 2001-08, which is, through a concerted focus on the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research, to reduce significantly the harm caused to individuals and society and, especially, the most vulnerable children and young people by the misuse of drugs.
The Deputy will be aware that, of the 100 actions set out in the national drugs strategy, there are nine, Nos. 29 to 37, under the prevention pillar for implementation by my Department in partnership with the health promotion unit of the Department of Health and Children and the health boards, where relevant. A further two, Nos. 42 and 43, are for joint implementation by my Department and the Department of Health and Children.
Progress is being made on all these actions. In particular, seven senior officials have been nominated by my Department to serve on the 14 local drug task forces; extra support personnel are being put in place to ensure the commitments relating to implementation of drug education programmes in all schools in these areas are fulfilled; the audit of education supports is being finalised and proposals for a significant expansion of the initiatives to tackle early school leaving are under consideration in the Department.
How many drug education officers is it proposed to employ? Will the Minister be in a position to meet the deadline set in the national drugs strategy in that regard?
Seven representatives have been appointed.
No, I asked about education officers.
Seven officials have been appointed by the Department to serve on each of the task forces.
No, the education officers.
The Deputy wants to know when the targets will be met for the numbers of education officers?
And the number.
I do not have that information here. The policy statement on education supports in local drug task forces includes an audit of the level of current supports which is being finalised and will be published shortly. Seven officials have been appointed to oversee that. The Department has also arranged to recruit two national support officers – that is action 31 – who will support, enhance and ensure the delivery of school-based education and prevention programmes. One officer has been appointed to date and the second appointment will be made shortly. I presume they are the two officers the Deputy is talking about.
The Minister's Department is supposed to be delivering the drugs awareness programme in all schools. Will he tell us what percentage of primary schools are providing the Walk Tall programme and what percentage of second level schools are providing the On My Own Two Feet programme? The Minister often produces figures for the number of teachers who have been in training, but the word on the ground is that few schools are providing an adequate drugs education programme. This is often because, due to a crowded curriculum, there are not enough teachers to provide the programme. Unless we tackle the drugs issue at that level it will clearly be a losing battle.
Does the Minister agree that the youth affairs section of his Department is grossly underfunded and that we have no youth service, as such, on the ground? One reason there has been a phenomenal increase in the use of drugs is that there is absolutely no youth service there. The Department and the Minister have failed miserably in this regard.
Action 32 was aimed specifically at implementing the Walk Tall and On My Own Two Feet programmes in all schools in the drugs task force areas during the academic year 2001-02. My understanding, however, is that neither programme is in place in schools serving some of the worst hit areas. Will the Minister indicate how many schools have still not implemented those programmes? I am talking about schools in drugs task force areas where there was a clear commitment that the Walk Tall programme in national schools and the On My Own Two Feet programme in secondary schools would be in place during the current school year. My clear understanding, however, is that the programmes have still not been implemented in schools in the areas worst hit by drugs.
Action 36 was aimed at ensuring that every second level school would have an active programme to counter early school leaving, with particular focus on areas with high levels of drug misuse. Will the Minister indicate what progress, if any, has been made on implementing action 36?
With regard to action 32, the Department is undertaking a survey of all schools in the areas to determine the level of implementation of the Walk Tall and On My Own Two Feet programmes. The newly recruited national support officers will focus on those schools that are not currently implementing the programmes to ensure implementation during the current academic year.
The Minister is running out of time.
I appreciate the point made by the Deputy in that regard. The purpose of the officers is to make sure that is happening. As regards action 36, the Department currently supports two initiatives aimed at increasing the retention of pupils in school, namely, the eight to 15 year old early school leaver initiative and the stay in school retention initiative at second level. A total of 149 post-primary schools and 51 primary schools are supported by these initiatives. Proposals for a significant expansion of these initiatives will focus on areas with the greatest pupil retention difficulties. They are currently under consideration in the Department.
When will that happen?
It is under consideration.
Has the Minister provided funding for it this year?
There would not be a problem with funding for it.
Has the Minister provided funding?
As I said, there would not be a problem with it.
I would prefer, Minister, if you would not answer questions that come by way of interruption.
I am sorry, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.