asked the Minister for Health if he will make a special allocation of funds to the Health Education Bureau to undertake a national programme of counselling and preventive education on the misuse of drugs similar to that undertaken in 1982.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Misuse of Drugs.
1.
The Health Education Bureau are continuing to pursue various activities designed to reduce the incidence of substance abuse.
The bureau's plans for 1984 include the production and distribution of materials such as videos, films, printed hand-out material and training packs, each designed with a particular target group in mind. These target groups include second level schoolchildren, young school leavers, low literacy groups, parents, teachers and youth leaders.
The bureau will be concentrating their efforts in the information and teacher training areas on high risk locations as far as potential for drug abuse is concerned.
The Deputy will be aware of the constraints on the health services because of the economic situation but I feel nevertheless that the general allocation of funds to the bureau this year should permit them to maintain a reasonable level of anti-drug activity. I am conscious, however, that much more could usefully be spent on the area.
Would the Minister agree that in 1982 a special allocation of £250,000 was given to the Health Education Bureau over and above their ordinary allocation and that they made very good use of that money? Would he not accept that in view of the seriously escalating drug problem, particularly in this city, a greater effort should be made in education to prevent young people coming into contact with drugs of addiction and that the ideal way of doing this is through the HEB, although naturally families and schools will play their role? Will the Minister also accept that there should have been some allowance for inflation in the amount given to the HEB this year?
The current position is that about 40,000 copies of the booklet Understanding Drugs, which is targeted specifically at low literacy groups, will be made available through various community agencies within the next three months or so. Five videos aimed at early school leavers have been produced by the Department of Education and are currently being shown on a pilot basis. The Institute for Drug Dependence in London have developed a training pack for persons dealing with drug abuse called Drugs Demystified and the HEB are adapting it for use in Ireland. Three assessment programmes have been held for this purpose. The bureau estimate that this year in their substance abuse activities they will be spending about £88,000. There is an additional allocation this year of £600,000, most of which will go to the treatment centres, which are in dire need of development. The additional allocation on the drugs side is about £600,000.
While the Minister states that £600,000 will be used to deal with drug abuse, none of that money will be going to the Health Education Bureau. Will he not accept that the major emphasis in dealing with this serious problem should be on prevention and that the ideal vehicle is education? The Minister has responsibility for the HEB. Would he not consider that they should get additional finance to try to prevent a further escalation of this problem?
The budget of the HEB is £1.25 million and rather than spread it over a multitude of areas they have decided to concentrate on three particular areas, of which this is one. The impact will be quite considerable. I have not had any approach from the bureau seeking additional funds for that area. If I receive such an approach I will consider it. The HEB are doing a great deal of work in this critical area and are determined to continue.
2.
asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in implementing the recommendations of the ministerial (Ministers of State) task force on drug abuse.
I would refer to Parliamentary Question No. 6 of December 1983 in which I outlined the steps which had been taken to implement the recommendations of the task force at that time. The following is an outline of the progress which has been made in this area since my reply of 6 December 1983:
On the law enforcement side the draft heads of a Bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977, as recommended by the task force, have been submitted to Government for approval and the Government have now given approval. This Bill will allow easier enforcement of the Act's provisions. The Second Stage of the Criminal Justice Bill has been concluded in the Dáil. The recommendation relating to the appointment of one Judge of the Circuit Court and one district justice who would have special responsibility for all cases involving drug offences in the Dublin area is being pursued by the appropriate authorities. So also is the recommendation relating to the appointment of one solicitor in the Chief State Solicitor's Office who would specialise in drug offence casework.
On the education side the set of five videos which was developed by the Department of Education in conjunction with the Health Education Bureau, is now being tried out on an experimental basis with about 38 groups of young people in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, North Tipperary, North West, North East, South East and the Midlands and is targeted at early school leavers.
I have made money available to Trinity College to provide a diploma course in addiction studies. This course commenced in January 1984 and provides specialised training for workers in direct contact with drug abusers and their families. Such workers include social workers, teachers, guidance counsellors and the Garda.
The new Curriculum and Examinations Board are also being asked to consider the introduction of a "life skills" programme in schools, as a matter of priority, with such a programme incorporating health education, including drug education.
On the health side St. James's Hospital Board have agreed in principle, following consultations with officers of my Department, to provide a bed facility for the treatment of drug abusers and the details are now being worked out. A formal submission is also expected in the near future from the Jervis Street Hospital authorities about the development of facilities there. The Eastern Health Board are also preparing a formal submission on the question of providing a suitable therapeutic model for the treatment of drug abusers from socially and educationally deprived backgrounds — particularly those in the 12-16 age group. This follows consultations with officers of my Department and with representatives of Coolmine Therapeutic Community. The Medico-Social Research Board have already done preliminary work on the four research projects which were recommended by the task force.
On the Youth and Community Development side the task force have met the Health Education Bureau, Cospóir, the National Youth Council and the National Youth Policy Committee since 6 December 1983. The task force are currently examining, in conjunction with all of the organisations involved, how the existing services are integrated at the point of delivery and how these services might be improved where necessary.
It will be clear from this that all of these recommendations are being vigorously pursued.
I would like to thank the Minister for his detailed reply to my question. There are a couple of points I would like him to clarify for me. One of the recommendations of the task force was the strengthening of the drug squad. Has that been done yet? There is also the question of the discussions taking place between the HEB, YEA, Cospóir and so forth. When does the Minister expect their deliberations to be completed? I am sure he is aware the recommendation was that they would come up with some programme for areas which were at high risk, such as the Ballymun area, some areas in Cork and Dún Laoghaire as well as the inner city area. When will these discussions end and when will a permanent programme be produced? There is a suggestion that at least one teacher in each school will have some expertise in the drugs area. Has any progress been made in that direction?
There is still a good deal of work to be done. The Minister for Justice is keeping a very close eye on the capabilities of the Garda drug squad and any assistance which is required by them will be provided. I would point out that the general detection rate has improved considerably. This is largely due to the excellent work being done by the Garda. There are about 37 gardaí involved in the drug squad. My Department and the Department of Justice, who are directly responsible, will keep in very close touch with the work of the drug squad in this area. The work in the youth and community development area is at the initial stages. I will bring every pressure to bear on the task force Ministers to bring forward precise and concrete proposals in this area. I share the view that in each school there should be a teacher who at least has had basic information training on the question of drug abuse. We have a long way to go in that regard and I am continuing my review with the Minister for Education in that area. I share the Deputy's view that in the Ballymun area, for example, a lot of work still remains to be done.
In regard to the youth and community work which is required in relation to drugs, there have been some developments in Ballymun recently where a subversive organisation, the Provisionals, have organised a number of meetings in the area. I am very concerned about this and I am very anxious that the Eastern Health Board and any other organisations active in the area take steps to ensure that they are not allowed to organise vigilante type activity in the area in relation to drugs. For that reason I am anxious that the recommendation in the task force report that the drug squad be strengthened and that the deliberations between the various bodies such as the Health Education Bureau, Cospóir and the Youth Employment Agency report so that whatever programme is to be introduced into high risk areas will be introduced without delay. Will the Minister give serious consideration to the application from a group in the area, the Youth Action Project, who are dealing in a caring way with the drug problem in the area, seeking funding for a full-time co-ordinator? Some action like that is necessary in the interim period between now and the time the official programme can be implemented. I feel that every possible help should be given to local groups.
This is more than a question.
Yes, but every effort should be made to ensure that local groups dealing in a humane way with the drug problem should be assisted.
The group referred to by the Deputy, the Ballymun Youth Action Group, provide, as the Deputy is aware, an advisory service for local people seeking information or advice on drugs and drug-related problems together with the other various youth services. The group made a submission to the task force seeking funding for the post of co-ordinator. It was decided that the Minister of State, Deputy George Birmingham, should examine the request. The chairman of the task force, my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Fergus O'Brien, met the group separately and assured them he would do his utmost to have the Minister of State, Deputy George Birmingham, and the Youth Employment Agency give every sympathy and encouragement to their work. The Minister of State, Deputy George Birmingham gave the group a once-off grant of £3,000 and he has asked the YEA to consider the possibility of funding the employment of a co-ordinator. The YEA have now decided that they will await the outcome of the meeting to be convened by the city manager because the task force agreed to examine the situation in Ballymun. As a first step the task force decided that a review of youth services should be carried out for the Ballymun area. It is understood that the city manager agreed in principle to convene such a meeting but a formal response is awaited. As this is basically a youth and community development issue the chairman of the task force gave responsibility to the Minister of State, Deputy George Birmingham, to ensure its expedition. I assure the Deputy that whereas the YEA have decided to await the outcome of the meeting to be convened by the city manager to examine the situation in Ballymun, as soon as they get that review they will consider the situation in Ballymun again.
Question No. 3.
Before we move on from that could I ask the Minister——
I cannot allow a long discussion on drugs. This is what this has developed into.
Is the bed facility proposed for St. James's additional to what is in Jervis Street? When does he expect that bed facility will be available?
The framework we have in mind is a very clear one, a bed facility in St. James's, a bed facility detoxification-treatment facility in the new hospital at Beaumont and then in Jervis Street we will have the walk-in walk-out drugs advisory centre. Where in-patient treatment was required those on the south side of the Liffey would be referred to the beds in James's Street Hospital and those on the north side would go to Beaumont.
Let me add in regard to Deputy De Rossa's observations in relation to, I presume, the Provisional IRA, that I share his views totally. I have given repeated warnings to residents' groups in areas not to allow the drug situation to be exploited by terrorist, subversive groups in our community, and I am aware of certain actions in that regard which we must all oppose.