I welcome the publication of the report and I congratulate the chairman, Deputy Woods, and the members of the committee on their dedication and commitment in tackling the very serious drug problem which must be regarded as one of the greatest social evils of our time. A few years ago this problem was associated with urban areas only. Now far too often it manifests itself in rural towns and schools.
It is a problem which is not easily eliminated or contained once outlets of distribution have been established. It is even less easy to safeguard the lives of young people who have been exposed to the drugs scene and who have become even slightly addicted to and dependent on the various forms of drugs which are available. It has often been said that it took us too long to recognise the fact that we had a drug problem. If this is so, it was a very costly mistake and makes our task all the more difficult.
It is important that we face up to the reality and recognise the extent of the problem and that we make adequate resources available to deal with it. We must recognise that this nation of ours has been identified by the international demons — and one cannot think of a stronger word to describe those in the murky underworld of drug trafficking and pushing — as easy prey. They recognise that the social conditions which exist here with high unemployment provide the ideal climate for them to peddle their wares. They recognise that a country with a population as young as ours is a very lucrative market for this illicit trade. I do not know how you can measure the economic cost to the nation and the psychological damage to the community from social evils such as drug addiction. The cost is great. It is a factor which the Minister should take into consideration and try to measure before embarking on purely monetarist decisions and totally ignoring the social issues, as is happening daily in terms of job losses.
It is very likely that the long term cost to the nation could far outweigh the short term economic gain which she is trying to achieve apart altogether from the damage to the individual. This must be our first consideration. The economic drain on the nation's resources in dealing with the problem is great. I urge the Minister to bring more social balance into the economic policies which she proposes to introduce in the future. We must recognise that the Garda and other people upon whom we depend to deal with this problem have to deal with the most professional, dangerous and successful of established criminals around the world whose priority is to establish successful distribution channels for drugs.
I should like to pay a special tribute to the dedication and commitment of the members of the Garda Drugs Squad. Under difficult conditions they have done an extremely good job and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. I make a special plea for greater resources for this important section of our Garda force. Let us give them the manpower and the other resources necessary to enable them to perform their duties professionally and successfully. Let us also give a commitment to implementing the recommendations of this very excellent report.
The success of the Drugs Squad in closing off the internal sources of supply has, unfortunately, only led to an escalation in the import of drugs. The increase in the level of addiction is an indication of the extent and volume of these imports. Therefore, the view contained in the report that officers of Customs and Excise should have an important role to play is valid and should be acted upon.'
The report is correct in identifying and stressing the need to tackle the problem at source. If we can contain and, it is hoped, eliminate the trafficking in and movement of drugs, then we are bound to reduce the incidence of exposure of our young people to the drug scene.
Our geographic position as an island is a help. I do not want to sound a pessimistic note at this stage, but I heard recently of drugs being imported in the hollow frames of agricultural machinery. If that practice were widespread it would be impossible to detect or prevent the importation of very large amounts of drugs.
There is a need to bring the penalties following customs detection into line with those imposed as a result of Garda investigation. I was very pleased to hear the Minister say today that this is an aspect of the drug scene which is being dealt with by him at this time.
I support also the view that a small specialised unit within Customs and Excise should be established for the purpose of drug detection. Again, I was pleased to hear the Minister say that this is being considered and that liaison between the Garda Drugs Squad and the people in Customs and Excise responsible for drug detection would be strengthened and improved.
A matter raised by Deputy Woods and the other members of his committee was the relevance of sniffer dogs for drug detection. It was encouraging to hear the Minister, on a positive note, saying that at present a dog was being trained for this specific purpose. It is true to say that all Members of this House would have a unified approach and a unified commitment to tackling this great social evil which unfortunately is on the increase.
I am sure my dedicated and committed colleague, Deputy Woods, will forgive me if I differ slightly from his views and those of the committee in relation to the emphasis in the report. I agree fully that the implementation of measures against imports is a very vital part of any campaign to deal with the drugs problem.
However, no matter what measures are taken in that regard it is going to be extremely difficult to eliminate totally drug importation.
On the other hand, if we became successful in reducing the demand for drugs, through a proper educational process, the market would automatically decline and trafficking in drugs would be substantially reduced. We are not doing sufficient in the educational field to bring to the notice of young people, particularly those attending post primary schools, the great danger and threat facing them with regard to exposure to the drug scene on leaving school or, indeed, tragically, even while they are still at school.
More resources should be made available to the health boards. I know that it is part of the normal health board programme to try to provide some kind of education and advice in relation to drugs. They have not got adequate resources at present to embark on a full scale, impressive educational programme which would bring home effectively to young people the dangers they are facing.
I recently watched, in the House, a television programme depicting, perhaps crudely, the effects of drug trafficking and drug addiction. For weeks afterwards people throughout the country were still reacting to that programme. They were appalled at what they had seen and it was a very effective programme. Human nature being what it is, you need a concentrated and continuous educational programme to bring the drugs problem to the notice of the people. I appeal to the Minister of State to consider seriously, at Government level, the channelling of an allocation to health boards specifically for the purpose of educating people about the present drugs problem. The success of that type of operation has been demonstrated in relation to the no smoking campaign. It is reasonably true to say that as a result of that campaign there are definitely fewer young people smoking cigarettes now than there were ten years ago. It is a practical example of how successful a consistent educational programme can be in achieving its objective.
I regret that I have not more time to deal with the problem but I know that the Minister of State will convey to the Minister the views which I have expressed.