Jack Wall
Ceist:260 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children the position of initiatives he is taking to prevent drug misuse by children and teenagers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19824/01]
Written Answers. - Drug Misuse.
As the Deputy may be aware, my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy Eoin Ryan, has overall responsibility to ensure that a co-ordinated, integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse is in place.
In so far as my Department is concerned, the objectives of the health response to the drug problem are based on two key elements, reducing the number of people, especially young people, turning to drug misuse in the first instance through information, education and prevention programmes and providing a range of treatment options for those addicted to drugs, the ultimate objective of which is a return to a drug free lifestyle. My Department and health boards collaborate in the development and running of education and prevention initiatives with the Department of Education and Science and other voluntary and community groups.
My Department, through the health promotion unit, runs or is involved in a number of initiatives which are aimed at tackling and reducing the number of young people misusing substances nationwide and, most particularly, within the eastern region where the majority of problem drug misusers reside. These initiatives include supporting drug education and prevention programmes and social and personal health education which is a broad based life skills programme for junior certificate students in schools.
A support service to implement this programme has been established through a partnership between my Department and the Department of Education and Science, in conjunction with health boards, Marino Institute and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The substance abuse prevention programme On My Own Two Feet will be incorporated into the SPHE programme in the future and the Walk Tall programme will continue to be implemented in primary schools. Teachers and schools are also often supported by regional health education officers from the health boards.
Within the youth sector the national youth health programme has been developed through a partnership between my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the National Youth Council of Ireland. This programme provides training and support for a range of initiatives aimed at the youth sector nationwide. The programmes supported include the youth support pack for dealing with the drugs issue entitled Knowledge is Power and Drink Awareness for Everyone.
A range of other training and support is offered to youth groups and youth work leaders to assist them to deal with the issue of drugs, alcohol and smoking as they arise in their work. Also within the youth sector a substantial number of drugs education workers have been appointed and supported.
Within the Community Setting Drugs Questions, Local Answers is a community based programme offered by health boards which aims to activate local communities to assess the drug problem specific to their own area and then to look at ways in which the community can respond to the issues arising. The programme was developed by the health promotion unit of my Department and is delivered regionally by local people who have been trained in delivering the programme. Being Well is another community based programme which has been developed by the unit. This programme encourages people to take a holistic approach to their health but also looks specifically at smoking and alcohol. Again this programme is supported by regional health boards and delivered by local people who have been appropriately trained.
The health boards also support a range of parenting interventions such as family, communication and self-esteem. This programme helps parents to deal with the issue of drugs within the home. Health boards also fund a number of voluntary organisations whose work involves prevention and treatment of drug misuse.
Services for drug users in all health boards have increased substantially over the past number of years. Funding has been provided to the regional health boards to considerably strengthen the infrastructure for the delivery of drugs services. In the eastern region, treatment services have expanded from three locations in 1995 to the current 55. The number of people receiving treatment has risen from 1,358 in 1995 to more than 5,000 now.
The Deputy will also know that the Minister of State, Deputy Ryan, launched the National Drugs Strategy which sets out a series of specific objectives and actions for dealing with this serious problem over the next seven years. The strategy recommends 100 actions, many of which are aimed at young people. One such action is the development of a national awareness campaign highlighting the dangers of drugs by the end of 2001. My Department will be collaborating with relevant agencies in deciding the shape and nature of this campaign so that it will have maximum effect. Another action is that regional drugs task forces should be established in all health boards by the end of the year. They will strengthen present actions in relation to drug misuse and will ensure the development of an integrated and co-ordinated response to tackling the drugs problem in their region.
I am confident that these actions, most of which require a multi-sectoral approach, will have a positive impact on the situation and help to reduce the number of young people turning to drug misuse.