The Senator will be aware that the young people's facilities and services fund was established in 1998 as part of the Government's overall strategy to tackle drug misuse. The fund aims to assist in the development 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. The objective of the fund is to attract at risk young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them from the dangers of substance abuse. The target group for the fund are ten to 21 year olds who are marginalised through a combination of risk factors relating to family background, environmental circumstances, educational disadvantage, involvement in crime and/or drugs, etc.
The main focus of the fund has been on the local drugs task force areas where integrated plans were prepared on the basis of detailed guidelines agreed by the Cabinet committee on social inclusion. Local development groups were set up in each area and comprised representatives from the relevant local drugs task force, the local authority and the VEC. These plans were submitted for consideration, via the task forces, to the national assessment committee which is chaired by my Department. The plans were assessed against the guidelines agreed and recommendations were then made to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion.
There are 12 drugs task force areas in Dublin, including one in Bray, and there is one drugs task force area in Cork. Recognising that the drug problem is not confined to the local drugs task force areas, funding was also allocated to a number of urban areas, outside the task force areas, where a serious drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The areas selected were Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Carlow. They were the only areas selected outside the drugs task force areas. The vocational education committees in these areas, and the health board in the case of Waterford, were asked to take the lead in developing integrated drug prevention strategies in consultation with relevant statutory and community-voluntary interests, on the basis of guidelines agreed by the Cabinet committee on social inclusion.
A separate allocation was also made to assist a number of voluntary organisations with a national or regional remit that have the capacity to deliver targeted education and prevention initiatives. Under this allocation, seven voluntary organisations were approved funding to deliver drug prevention education programmes, including peer education programmes, on a national basis.
An amount of almost €150 million has been provided under the national development plan to support measures under the fund. Since 1998, just over €68 million has been allocated under round I of the fund. Of this amount, €54.1 million has been allocated to local drugs task force areas while the urban areas of Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Carlow were allocated a further €1.9 million. In addition, the voluntary organisations referred to above have been allocated €0.6 million and implementation costs of €2.5 million have also been allocated. The springboard initiative, which falls under the remit of the Department of Health and Children, was allocated an additional €9.1 million. I have details of the types of projects funded, but they are not specific to Carlow.
Applications have been sought from development groups in local drugs task force areas in relation round II of the fund in respect of facility projects only. The national assessment committee is currently examining the capital proposals submitted and decisions on round II will be made in light of the overall funding position for 2003. Arrangements for the other elements of round II, which will include seeking proposals from non-local drugs task force areas, have not yet been approved by the Cabinet committee.
With respect to Carlow, an allocation of €202,000 was made to Carlow in late 1999 under the fund. In late 2000, the development group in Carlow made a submission to the national assessment committee of the fund for the development of a central youth facility for the town and sought advice on how best to progress the project. It was informed then that it was not possible for additional funding to be made available under the fund at that time, outside their original allocation of €202,000. My predecessor, the former Minister of State, Deputy Eoin Ryan, subsequently met representatives from Carlow Regional Youth Service in early 2001 to discuss its proposal.
The Senator should note that the development group made a further submission to the national assessment committee in April 2001 seeking permission to use some of the funding allocated to it to develop the necessary plans to secure planning permission for the proposed youth facility. Following a meeting between representatives of the development group and the committee in May 2001, this proposal was approved and the decision was communicated to the Carlow development group.
I am aware that drawings and costings for the proposed facility have been prepared and that Carlow Regional Youth Service is seeking significant funding from Government sources to enable the project to proceed. I understand that the cost of completing and fitting out the facility will be in the region of €2 million. I am sure the Senator will appreciate that this is only one of a number of projects outside the local drugs task force areas that have signalled the need for a youth facility development in their areas and which have canvassed support from the fund over recent years.
However, until such time as the Cabinet committee on social inclusion approves arrangements for round II of the fund for non-local drugs task force areas, I regret that the national assessment committee will not be in a position to consider proposals such as the Carlow youth facility project. It very much depends on round II allocations for the main local drugs task force areas, which are due and I hope will be made in the not too distant future.
The Senator mentioned dormant accounts. A separate board to collect and disburse money from such accounts has been established under the Department but it is independent. It is examining ideas about how it might allocate the money when it comes due. That will not be until late summer or autumn at the earliest. The Act under which the board was established specified certain areas in which the money could be spent. These include areas of disadvantage such as the one cited by the Senator. I imagine this would be one of the intentions of the board but its activities are only at a preliminary stage. It will probably dispense funds later in the year and while I do not know for sure, I imagine it will make public announcements in this regard. However, that will be in the second half of the year.
While not wishing to appear to hog the fund, I emphasise that it was established to concentrate on drugs task force areas in Dublin. An argument was made for its extension to another four cities, which was done in a small way. It will be some time yet before we can make round II allocations and see if some additional funding can be given to those four cities or other places besides. Regional drugs task forces will be established in the coming months and arguments may well be made that areas under their remit should also share in the pot but that is in the future. I thank the Senator for raising the matter.
