Skip to main content
Normal View

National Drugs Strategy.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2004

Tuesday, 5 October 2004

Questions (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)

Olwyn Enright

Question:

140 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the submission from Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy that health boards and other agencies that act as channels of funding for drug task force moneys should be required to consult with the LDTFs regarding the development of local drug services and the use of drug strategy funding. [22751/04]

View answer

Brendan Howlin

Question:

152 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of submissions received to date to the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22765/04]

View answer

John Deasy

Question:

153 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on whether the submission from Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy that action 88 needs to be activated, that is, that Government Departments should inform NDST of initiatives that will affect task force areas. [22752/04]

View answer

Bernard Allen

Question:

156 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the submission from Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy that local community projects have experienced cutbacks in their budgets for delivering services to drug users, despite commitments to ringfence drug strategy moneys. [22747/04]

View answer

Paul Kehoe

Question:

179 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will change the sectoral representation on the national drugs strategy team as recommended by Citywide and have a minimum of two new community representatives, one selected by the LDTF community representatives and the second by the RDTF community representatives. [22750/04]

View answer

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

212 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the submission from the Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy that the structures that were put in place to deliver a community-led, partnership approach have been undermined and that, as a result, the role of local communities have been diminished. [22744/04]

View answer

Dan Neville

Question:

226 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the submission from Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy that it is the clear view of local communities that they are continuing to live with a serious drugs crisis and that there has been a general failure to deliver on the actions outlined in the national drugs strategy. [22746/04]

View answer

Michael Noonan

Question:

227 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when he expects the review of the national drugs strategy to be completed and published; the changes he envisages in the direction of the strategy; if the strategy will receive increased funding for the rest of its lifetime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22696/04]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 140, 152, 153, 156, 179, 212, 226 and 227 together.

As the Deputies will be aware, the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy is currently under way. The review is examining the progress being made in achieving the overall key strategic goals set out in the strategy and will enable priorities for future action to be identified and a refocusing of the strategy, if necessary, for the remaining period up to 2008. The review will also examine the relevance of the strategy in tackling the current nature and extent of drug misuse in Ireland, including emerging trends, and will identify any gaps presenting and how they might be addressed.

The review is being overseen by a steering group chaired by my Department and comprising representatives from a number of Departments and agencies involved in implementing the strategy as well as the community and voluntary sectors. PA Consulting Group is assisting the steering group in its ongoing work.

A comprehensive consultation process is being undertaken as part of the review. One hundred and fourteen written submissions have been received to date and the consultants are currently considering the issues being raised. Presentations from over 20 Departments, agencies and community groups involved in delivering the strategy have also been made to the steering group and a number of others are planned for October. In addition, five regional seminars will take place throughout October in Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Carrick-on-Shannon and Dublin. A number of focus groups with young people will also be held during October.

The consultation process will enable us to get a broad and varied perspective on the strategy and what its future direction should be. In this context, I would not like to pre-empt the outcome — or the independence — of the review given that considerable work and consultation remains to be done. I also believe it would be inappropriate for me at this time to comment on individual submissions, including the issues raised by Citywide. I can assure the Deputies, however, that Citywide's comments will be examined in terms of going forward, as will the views expressed by the other Departments and organisations who have made written submissions and met the steering group.

With regard to funding, the Government has already committed substantial funding to the issue of drug misuse. To date, the Government has allocated or spent approximately €80 million to implement in the region of 500 projects contained in two rounds of plans of the local drugs task forces. In addition over €12.7 million has been allocated under the LDTF premises initiative, which is designed to meet the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects, the majority of which are in LDTF areas. Approximately €75 million has been allocated to support in the region of 450 facility and services projects under the young people's facilities and services fund. I can assure the Deputies that tackling drug misuse remains a priority for the Government and that substantial resources will continue to be targeted at the problem over the coming years. I expect the review to be completed in late 2004 or early in 2005.

Question No. 141 answered with QuestionNo. 138.
Top
Share