Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 1

Written Answers - National Drugs Strategy.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

72 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations contained in the two reports produced by the ministerial task force to reduce the demand for drugs; the main recommendations still to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3488/99]

Mininster of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Mr. Flood)

In its two reports, the ministerial task force made a series of recommendations across a range of areas to address the problem of the demand for drugs, including the establishment of structures at national and local level to co-ordinate a response to the drug problem. As the Deputy will be aware, a Cabinet Drugs Committee, the National Drugs Strategy team and thirteen local drugs task forces were set up arising out of those recommendations.

The National Drugs Strategy team comprises representatives from relevant Government Departments and agencies, along with two persons who bring the perspectives of the voluntary and community sectors to its work. The team's brief is to ensure effective co-ordination between Departments and agencies in implementing the Government's drugs initiative, as well as monitoring developments at local level, ensuring that the problems and priorities of local communities are being addressed by central Government.

Local drugs task forces were set up in the areas experiencing the highest levels of drug misuse to: develop and implement an integrated response to the drug problem in those areas; and involve local communities in the planning, design and implementation of that response.

On assuming office, the Government, recognising the links between social exclusion, drug abuse and alienation, decided to re-constitute the Cabinet Drugs Committee into a wider Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion, which would address disadvantage in the broadest sense. This committee seeks to pull together the various strategies to combat social exclusion – and resultant problems such as drug misuse – into a co-ordinated, targeted response.

The task forces have prepared action plans, focusing on the development of community based initiatives to link in with and add value to existing or planned drug programmes and services. The Government has allocated £10 million to support implementation of the approved plans which contains nearly 230 separate projects, approximately 80 per cent of which have, or are, drawing down funding.

Followning a recent independent evaluation of the initiative, the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion has agreed, in principle, to the continuation of the local drugs task forces for the time being, on the basis of an appropriate framework being put in place which would enable the initiative to be measured in terms of outcomes and impacts in due course.

Under a separate, complementary initiative, the Government has set up a young people's facilities and services fund and committed £30 million in Exchequer funding over the period 1998-2000. The purpose of this fund is to develop youth facilities, including sport and recreation facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop, with a view to attracting young people in those areas – at risk of becoming involved in drugs – into more healthy and productive pursuits.

Of this Exchequer contribution, £20 million is being targeted at the local drugs task force areas for which integrated facilities and services plans have been prepared for consideration shortly by the Cabinet Committee.

A range of recommendations in the two reports relating to other Departments are being addressed by colleagues within their respective remits.