Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
108 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the measures his Department intends to take to tackle the growing use of drugs throughout the State, as highlighted in research published earlier this month by the NACD and its Northern Ireland equivalent DAIRU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11936/04]
View answer138 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the recent drug prevalence survey 2002-03; his views on the report’s findings which demonstrate that drug use has now spread to every corner of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11835/04]
View answer152 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the findings of the drug prevalence survey, commissioned jointly by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and the Drug and Alcohol Information and Research Unit in Northern Ireland. [11810/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 138 and 152 together.
The report to which the Deputies refer is Bulletin 2 of the 2002-2003 drug prevalence survey which I launched last week. The survey was undertaken jointly by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs in Ireland and the Drug and Alcohol Information and Research Unit in Northern Ireland.
Initial results from the survey, which looked at the overall national position, were published last October last year and showed that most of the general population have never used any illegal drug. Less than 19% reported ever taking an illegal drug.
The second bulletin gives a breakdown of data by health board areas and some of the key findings are as follows: the proportion of those surveyed who reported ever having taken an illegal drug varied between 11% and 29% across health board areas; the lowest rate of recent illegal drug use — those surveyed who reported using an illegal substance in the previous year — was recorded in the North Western Health Board at 3% and the highest rate was in the Northern Area Health Board at 8%; prevalence rates of current drug use, those surveyed who reported having used the drug in the previous month, varied from 0.5% in the North Western Health Board to 5% in the Northern Area Health Board; prevalence rates — lifetime, recent and current — tended to be higher in the eastern part of the country; cannabis was the main illegal drug used on a lifetime, recent or current basis in all health board areas.
Prevalence rates for cannabis were at least twice as high for other illegal drugs; prevalence rates for other illegal drugs were considerably lower than for cannabis across all areas and periods of time. For example, the highest prevalence rate for recent use of ecstasy was 3% and cocaine powder 2%, compared to 8% for cannabis; the profile of illegal drug users showed significant consistency across health boards in almost all areas. Prevalence rates of lifetime, recent and current use were higher among men than women and higher among young people than older people while prevalence rates for sedatives, tranquillisers and anti-depressants were higher among older people and women in most areas.
The research confirms that most people in all regions have never used illegal drugs, even if there are significant regional variations. However, I am aware that the results highlight the fact that drug use is not confined to major cities but is an issue for urban and rural areas. The Government is not in any way complacent about this issue and remains determined to tackle it on several fronts. Through the ongoing implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008, the valuable work being done by the local drugs task forces and the young people's facilities and services fund, and the work commencing by the regional drugs task forces, much is being, and will continue to be, done in future to tackle the drug problem.
All the local drugs task forces, with the exception of Bray, are implementing their second round of action plans. The Government has allocated or spent approximately €65 million to implement the range of projects contained in the plans of the task forces since 1997. A further €11.6 million has been allocated to projects under the premises initiative, which is designed to meet the accommodation needs of community-based drugs projects, most of which are in local drugs task force areas.
In addition, approximately €72 million has been allocated to support over 450 facility and services projects in local drugs task force areas and the four other urban centres under the young people's facilities and services fund. This includes an amount of over €13 million which I recently allocated under round II of the fund, over half of which is in respect of capital developments.
The regional drugs task forces are mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas — as well as the range and level of existing services — with a view to better co-ordination and addressing gaps in the overall provision. This work will then feed into the drafting of regional action plans, which will be assessed by the national drugs strategy team in due course. I hope to be in a position to bring recommendations on funding of the plans to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion early next year and that the regional drugs task forces can begin to implement their plans by mid-2005.
Finally, the publication of the information contained in this bulletin is particularly timely as the mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008, will commence soon. This valuable information will significantly add to our knowledge and understanding of drug use across the country which is essential in developing appropriate policies for the future.
