Written Answers. - National Drugs Strategy.
John Gormley
Ceist:
48
Mr. Gormley
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
the measures, if any, taken by his Department to deal with the serious drugs problem in the south-east inner city; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18656/99]
A number of Government Departments and State agencies are delivering responses to the drugs problem, within their respective areas of responsibility. I have responsibility for ensuring the effective co-ordination of that response, including two initiatives which operate on an inter-agency basis: the local drugs task forces and the young people's facilities and services fund.
Local drugs task forces were set up in the areas where the abuse of drugs, particularly heroin, is most prevalent. One of these areas is Dublin's south inner city. The task forces comprise a partnership between the statutory, voluntary and community sectors and they were mandated to prepare a drugs strategy for their areas to suit local circumstances.
The Government allocated £10 million to support the implementation of action plans which were prepared by the local drugs task forces in 1997. These plans proposed a range of measures to tackle the drugs problem under the themes of education, prevention, treatment, aftercare, rehabilitation and reducing supply. Over 200 community-based initiatives received funding. These initiatives complemented the drug programmes and services being delivered by the State agencies, which themselves have had their funding increased substantially in recent years. The Dublin south inner city task force received £986,000 to implement its plan.
Following a positive independent evaluation and review of the operation of the local drugs task forces, the Government has approved their continuation for a further two years and has allocated an additional £15 million over two years, to enable them to update their action plans. This funding will also allow issues which cut across all task force areas to be addressed and these issues will be identified by the task forces in the course of preparing their plans. It is proposed to evaluate all task force projects and, depending on the outcome, to consider continued funding of individual projects as part of mainstream services and in accordance with agreed procedures, so as to maximise their impact.
Under a separate, complementary initiative, the Government set up the young people's facilities and services fund, YPFSF, last year to develop youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The three year fund aims to attract young people in those areas – at risk of becoming involved in drugs – into more healthy and productive pursuits.
Development groups comprising representatives from the local drugs task forces, the local authorities and the vocational education committees were established in each of the local drugs task force areas to develop local integrated facilities and services plans. In April 1999, the Cabinet committee on social inclusion allocated over £25 million to support 295 facility and services projects in these areas over the next three years. Of this amount, over £1.8 million was approved for Dublin south inner city towards the development of 34 projects, including ten capital projects, seven service projects and 17 small grants to sports and youth groups in the area.
A review of the overall national drugs strategy has commenced which will take account of all the measures being undertaken to tackle drug misuse and the adequacy of these responses in light of emerging trends in drug misuse nationally, with a view to making recommendations to Government on future drugs policy.
