Bernard Allen
Ceist:42 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his Department has carried out an evaluation of the national drugs strategy programme; and if he will introduce changes in the programme. [11518/00]
Vol. 518 No. 3
42 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if his Department has carried out an evaluation of the national drugs strategy programme; and if he will introduce changes in the programme. [11518/00]
66 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which it is intended to review and evaluate the operation of the National Drugs Strategy in view of the commitment in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11482/00]
73 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if the review of the National Drugs Strategy has been brought to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11695/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 66 and 73 together.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness provides that the national drugs strategy will be reviewed and evaluated within the lifetime of the programme. The Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs will, as part of its ongoing work programme, be involved in overseeing the review.
The objective of the review is to identify any gaps or deficiencies in the existing strategy, develop revised strategies and, if necessary, new arrangements through which to deliver them. The review will identify the latest available data on the extent and nature of problem drug use in the country as a whole, any emerging trends in drug use and the areas with the greatest level of problem drug use. It will also examine international trends, developments and best practice models.
The process of reviewing the strategy has commenced and advertisements inviting submissions from individuals and groups were placed in last Sunday's newspapers, yesterday's daily papers and in local papers in the major urban areas. All State agencies involved in the provision of services in this area will also be requested to make submissions to the review group. In addition, it is intended to hold a number of public consultative fora during June, at dates and locations to be arranged. It is intended to have the review completed by year end.
The review will have available to it an evaluation of the drugs Initiative by independent consultants including the results of individual evaluations of nearly 150 local drugs task force projects currently under way.
43 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the plans, if any, he has to extend countrywide the local drugs task forces which are presently confined to Dublin and Cork city in view of the recent evidence of drug use throughout rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11507/00]
51 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the specific proposals he has for the allocation of funding to urban areas outside of the drugs task force areas where an emerging drug problem is evident in view of the commitment given in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11478/00]
60 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when special arrangements will be made, in accordance with the commitment given in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, to provide funding to deal with the drug problem in urban areas outside the local task force areas where an emerging drugs problem is evident; and the areas being considered in view of this commitment. [8695/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 51 and 60 together.
The local drugs task forces were set up in disadvantaged areas experiencing the highest levels of illicit drug use, particularly heroin abuse. While the use of illicit drugs is a nationwide phenomenon, heroin abuse presents particular problems because of its public health implications and close association with crime.
In determining the designation of the task force areas, therefore, the focus has been on those areas which have a high incidence of heroin abuse. The criteria used for determining such areas are: drug treatment data from the health services; Garda crime statistics; data relating to school attendance-drop-out; and other relevant data on the levels of social and economic disadvantage in the area. Based on these criteria, there are 14 local drugs task forces in existence. In addition, a number of health boards have regional co-ordinating committees for their areas.