Gay Mitchell
Ceist:58 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will give his assessment of the effectiveness of drug task forces; and the plans he has for their continued use. [28765/00]
Other Questions. - Drugs Task Forces.
In 1997, the Government allocated £10 million to support the implementation of measures contained in the action plans prepared by the local drugs task forces. More than 200 projects were supported to deliver a range of interventions under the themes of prevention, education, treatment, rehabilitation and supply reduction.
In 1998, an independent evaluation of the drugs initiative commissioned by my Department found that the local drugs task forces had achieved a considerable degree of success in the short time since their establishment, not least in reducing the feelings of frustration and isolation previously felt by many communities in the affected areas.
On foot of this evaluation and a subsequent review of the task forces by the national drugs strategy team, the Cabinet committee on social inclusion approved further funding of £15 million to enable the task forces to update their drug action plans. To date, seven plans have been submitted to the national drugs strategy team for assessment. It is expected that the remainder will be submitted over the next few months and that the new plans will commence operation during 2001.
Over the course of last year, more than 140 task force projects were independently evaluated with a view to mainstreaming those considered to be achieving their aims and objectives. In this context, mainstreaming means the projects will continue to be funded through a relevant State agency, in line with agreed procedures that protect their ethos. More than 120 projects were recommended for mainstream funding at an annual cost of approximately £8.7 million
In addition, the Deputy will be aware that I am currently overseeing the finalisation of a major review of the overall national drugs strategy which will identify any gaps or deficiencies in the current strategy, develop revised strategies and, if necessary, new structures through which to deliver them. It is expected the review, which includes the role of the local drugs task forces, will be ready for submission to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion and subsequently to Cabinet within the coming month or so.
As we are dealing with questions on Tourism, Sport and Recreation, I will confine my question to the task forces whose terms of reference provide for preventative programmes, in other words, those that use sport and recreation as preventative elements in the fight against drugs. Has the Minister gathered evidence from the evaluation reports he received that the use of sport and recreation in deprived areas has been successful in reducing the level of drugs in those areas?
That is a good question. Having regard to the local drugs task forces, the young people's facilities and services fund and grants given by my ministerial colleague, Deputy McDaid, the answer to the Deputy's question is yes. One of the positive aspects of the new plans is that the emphasis in them seems to be more on prevention as opposed to the treatment of people, which was more the emphasis in the original plans. While we have only had sight of seven plans and agreed three, the plans from Cork, Ballymun and Dublin 12, at the Cabinet committee on social inclusion this afternoon, the emphasis in them seems to be on education and prevention elements. I am sure the national drugs strategy team would consider the committee is moving in the right direction. Sport and recreation activities are one way of keeping people in many of these communities away from the problem of drugs.
With regard to sports facilities and the young people's facilities and services fund, the drugs task forces would consider they are part of the way forward and without such diversions from the world of drugs matters would be disastrous for young people. Is the Minister of State aware that some of the task forces, specifically the task force in the Cabra area, have submitted proposals for funding for a major complex in John Paul Park to provide the community with a sporting complex that would provide training, education and sporting facilities for young people there? The Minister is aware of that proposal, as I have spoken to him on several occasions about it. The local community has been waiting two years for approval of adequate funding for that proposed complex. It have raised a great deal of money, the corporation has provided a site and plans are ready to start the work, yet the local community is still awaiting the additional funding required to get that project under way. That is the position in an area that has had a very serious drugs problem. Has the Minister of State any good news on this project for the young people of Cabra in Dublin 7?
Arising from the Minister of State's reply to my supplementary, has he a breakdown of the expenditure to date in this area? If so, what percentage of the funding has been allocated to sport and recreation activities? While a good deal of money has been allocated to the statutory bodies dealing with the task forces, I am concerned that much of it has been absorbed into mainstream activities by the statutory bodies rather than allocated to the communities directly involved.
An evaluation has been carried out. I do not have a breakdown of the allocation of the moneys, but I could try to get that for the Deputy. In many cases the local communities want the projects to be mainstreamed as they consider that would mean they would be established on a more permanent footing. Local communities were anxious that we mainstreamed many of these projects and even if they are mainstreamed, they can still retain their ethos. It would be against the spirit of our objective if they were to be financed by a Department and were then to revert to where they were originally. It was felt that Departments and State agencies were not responding to community needs on the ground.
That is what I am saying.
That will not happen in this case.
With regard to Deputy Gregory's question, which is slightly off the agenda of the question tabled, there is a major shortfall in the project he mentioned. His constituency colleague, the Taoiseach, is as anxious as the Deputy about this matter.
It would cost only a fraction of the proposed stadium.
It was discussed as late as today. A number of projects come under the same category and fall between two stools, so to speak. We are endeavouring to sort out their financial problems.
When will we know?
I will have to get back to the Deputy on that, but it will be as soon as possible.