Drugs Task Forces.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2010

Wednesday, 3 March 2010

Questions (161)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

203 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the cost to date of the dial to stop drug dealing anonymous phone line; the number of calls made to it in the different regions in which it has been established; if his attention has been drawn to the success of the information provided in leading to charges or convictions in relation to the sale or possession of drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10634/10]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Deputy John Curran)

As the Deputy will be aware, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign ran across 15 Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas in 2008 and 2009. At the end of 2009, nearly 5,770 calls had been made to the confidential phone number, generating almost 1,600 reports to the Gardaí. The calls are spread right across the country including areas which have not directly run a campaign. This highlights the fact that the confidential number used in the campaign is open to all to use, regardless of the area one comes from.

Due to the success of the campaign, I have made funding available in 2010 to keep the phone line open and, already this year, there have been a further 321 calls. The full cost to date is €457,271.

An Garda Síochána has confirmed that the information gathered has proved useful to their enquiries and that there has been a number of seizures and arrests on foot of information received, including the seizures of substantial quantities of cannabis and heroin.