I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Eoin Ryan. I remember when he was a Member of this House. I wish him well in his new ministry.
Review of National Drugs Strategy: Statements.
Acting Chairman
I move:
That Seanad Éireann supports the review of the National Drugs Strategy being conducted by the Minister of State with special responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, with a view to identifying any gaps or deficiencies in its existing strategy and to develop revised strategies and, if necessary, new arrangements through which to deliver them.
I welcome the Minister of State. We both represent inner city constituencies and we have much experience of the problems caused by the misuse of drugs and the importation and distribution of illegal drugs. We see on a daily basis the human tragedies caused by this. Drug addicts are normally multiple abusers of drugs such as heroin, prescription drugs and alcohol and will go to any lengths, whether legal or illegal, to get their fix.
The biggest problem facing those attempting to deal with the drug epidemic was getting the local non-drug taking population to realise there was a problem in their midst which could only be tackled locally, except in very serious and exceptional circumstances. I remember, as I am sure the Minister does, the halls filled with people protesting against any kind of facility being situated in their area.
In this context, I welcome the local drugs task force, which is a partnership between the statutory, voluntary and community areas. To be parochial, I want to praise the Finglas-Cabra partnership for the intelligent and sensitive way it is carrying out its work. I am glad the Cabinet committee on social inclusion has increased the funding of the local drug task forces.
I also welcome the £25 million allocated to the young people's facilities and services fund. The greatest problem facing the addict or recovering addict is what to do with his or her spare time. These people have much spare time when they are recovering and being weaned off their addiction, and this time must be occupied. In this context I welcome the facilities being provided through the young people's facilities and services fund which will provide education, training and personal development courses. The fund will play an increasing role in the rehabilitation of recovering addicts.
Earlier I said substance addicts are normally misusers of multiple drugs or medication, always mixed with alcohol. A growing threat down the road is the future health implications of the growing abuse of alcohol. People seem to be getting access to alcohol at a younger age. At weekends we see children under the influence of alcohol on the streets of our city and behaving in a very anti-social way.
The Minister has a very tough job to do, but he has great experience at the coalface and I have no doubt he will bring energy, enthusiasm and dedication to the job of containing the spread of the misuse of drugs, to weaning drug addicts from their addiction and rehabilitating them.
I second the motion and welcome the Minister. The abuse of drugs has serious implications not only for those directly involved but for those around them. I worked in an area where drug abusers were treated. When we speak of drug abusers we often forget about alcohol, the social drug, and often fail to appreciate the potential dangers pertaining to it.
Illegal drug use is a problem in every city, town and village. While I agree the problem is more acute in Dublin because of heroin, the drug to which abusers of other drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy normally graduate, we must not lose sight of the fact that children everywhere are experimenting and dabbling in drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy. The hub of a drug abuser's existence is getting the next fix, and everything else is irrel evant. While cannabis and ecstasy are closely associated with the youth sub culture, experience in Dublin has shown that if left unchecked the problem has the potential to quickly spiral out of control, particularly in disadvantaged communities. It is important to note that disadvantaged areas are honed in on by pushers who pick disadvantaged individuals, people short of a few pounds, supply them with a sample or two of a drug and get them hooked. The person then becomes a pusher. Very often, if not invariably, drug pushers are drug abusers.
Under age drinking is a very serious problem. Alcohol is a legal and social drug, but it has a devastating effect on many people, especially on families. Abuse pertaining to alcohol was the most common reason for admissions to psychiatric hospitals some years ago. Alcohol is seen as a gateway drug for many potential drug users. The problems associated with the abuse of alcohol have been well documented over the years and we all know the devastation it has caused to quite a number of families. The British Medical Association defined an alcoholic as a person who, having taken the first drink, cannot guarantee when he or she will stop. The World Health Organisation defines an alcoholic as a person whose drinking or behaviour as a result of drinking affects any of the three main areas of life such as family, home and work. Therefore, it does not matter how many drinks one consumes – if one drink causes a person to miss work or crash a car and kill somebody then that person has a drink problem. It is not a matter of consuming a great deal of alcohol.
Drug misuse is a complex problem requiring a multi-disciplinary response across a range of agencies and professions. No one agency has a monopoly on wisdom in this area and organisations can learn much from each other in terms of identifying local needs and designing appropriate responses. We must have a multi-disciplinary approach to tackling drug abuse.
I understand the common theme running through the regional consultative fora, to which I am sure the Minister will refer, is the importance of education and prevention strategies in addressing an emerging drug problem in rural areas. Regrettably there is a problem in mid-Leinster, but to date there is no evidence of heroin abuse and we must be thankful for small mercies. We need a pro-active approach in terms of educating our children and raising awareness among families and communities about the dangers of drugs and drug abuse. Education has a pivotal role in the prevention of drug abuse. Teenagers should not feel pressurised into taking drugs.
It is important to say what has happened in a number of towns, including Mullingar, where local publicans have put up notices saying, "If you deal, we'll squeal". Drug pushers must clearly understand that if they are caught pushing drugs they will be reported by vintners. I compli ment the vintners' association in Mullingar and other towns on that very positive initiative.
Teenagers should be given the self-confidence and self-esteem to say no when drugs are offered to them and they should be provided with other outlets for their energies, such as leisure and sports facilities which are absolutely imperative. The impact of sport extends far beyond the playing pitches and athletic grounds. It has obvious benefits in promoting health and fitness and can play a major role in fostering a sense of community identity, even in the most deprived areas. For this reason it is very important that sport and leisure facilities are provided throughout the country as a positive outlet for teenagers, especially as they relate to preventing the spread of drug abuse.
Regarding the migration of drug pushers, interaction and contact between gardaí is essential. The Garda has been very successful in a number of drug seizures and it is not necessary to give examples. We cannot sit back on our laurels and say we are doing extremely well as there is still much more to be done. It is imperative that if a drug dealer moves from one area, particularly from a larger urban area, to a provincial town or village, contact is made between the gardaí in both areas so the person can be monitored. Very often drug dealers move house to spread their evil trade among local youth. Dealers always focus on deprived areas.
I very much look forward to hearing the Minister, whom I know has an abiding interest in this area, and I compliment him and his predecessor, Deputy Flood, on the great work they have done. I congratulate the Garda which has done excellent work in this area and to which we should be very grateful. We should also be grateful to community groups which have fought tooth and nail to evict drug pushers from their areas, but moving them from one area to another is only transferring the problem.
I welcome the Minister of State for the debate on this most important subject. I listened with great interest to my colleagues, Senators Fitzpatrick and Glynn, and salute their experience. I have no experience of the matter, the great scourge of our time. Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about the difficulties being experienced in inner city Dublin where pushers ply their awful and frightful trade in deprived areas. There are some desperate human tragedies associated with misuse.
It has been said that there is a need for education because there is a difficulty in getting through to those who are not abusers, drug pushers or takers. In this context I salute the great work being done by the local drugs task forces and by liaison groups. Such a group in my home town of Killarney, comprising local councillors, members of the community and the Garda Síochána, is doing excellent work.
Multiple drugs and/or medication are taken with alcohol by those involved. It is often forgot ten that alcohol is a drug. Most of the anti-social behaviour in provincial towns results from the abuse of alcohol and/or drugs and those involved seem to be getting younger and younger. They graduate from alcohol which is seen as an easy social drug to ecstasy and cannabis. It is in disadvantaged areas that pushers primarily ply their trade in an effort to get people hooked and continue the chain.
There is much to be said for organisations coming together to learn from each other as the problem is emerging in rural areas. I salute what Senator Glynn said about the approach being adopted by Mullingar vintners: "If you deal, we'll squeal." This is to be welcomed and I hope it will spread to other parts of the country.
I welcome the review which will be a useful exercise in identifying any gaps or deficiencies in the existing strategy, in devising revised strategies and the arrangments which should be put in place for their delivery. If I recall correctly, the national drugs strategy was initiated by the then Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and in 1996 there were two reports on the matter which identified 11 areas with particular drug problems in Dublin and one in the north inner city in Cork in which preventive programmes were put in place.
Tackling the drugs problem is a difficult task which must be approached with determination and as a priority of youth provision as young people are confronted with more and more choices, conflicts, challenges and pressures. The problems of unemployment, homelessness, poverty and social exclusion are widespread, with their attendant problems of drug abuse and crime. The review is welcome because we must re-examine our sport and youth work structures, systems and processes and continually devise and implement new policies and initiatives to meet this change.
The concept of community involvement is vital in responding to the challenges which face our young people in a society which is ever changing and increasingly complex. As in virtually all other countries, we are suffering from the increased availability and accessibility of drugs owing to reduced cost and the prevailing social attitudes which have resulted in young people becoming the most vulnerable category in terms of the threat drugs posed to communities and society in general. While the Government and State agencies must adopt a multisectoral approach to the problem, it is imperative that communities are empowered to participate in devising and implementing strategies for their localities. Many are doing so.
Sport and recreation have a vital role to play in demand reduction, particularly with reference to education, prevention and community development. We must value sport and recreation as mutually beneficial and enjoyable experiences entailing active modes of experimental learning where young people are involved in learning by doing and reflecting on their experiences. More importantly, adequately resourced programmes permit communities to play a real role in meeting young people's needs.
In response to the escalating problem of drug abuse the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation established a drugs strategy, the aim of which is to provide an effective and integrated response. As well as acting as a guiding force for future planning and policy in the war against drugs there are three essential principles, the first of which is that the response to the drugs problem must take account of the different levels of drug misuse throughout the country. While illicit drugs, cannabis and ecstasy in particular are a nationwide phenomenon, in view of its public health implications and close association with crime heroin abuse is the most pressing aspect of the problem. Consequently the national drugs strategy focuses primarily on the areas experiencing the highest levels of abuse.
There is a need to ensure all programmes and services which respond to the drugs problem are delivered in a coherent and integrated manner. There is also a need to encourage communities experiencing the highest levels of drug misuse to participate in the design and delivery of the response to the problem in their areas. Arising from this the key objectives of the strategy can be described as follows: to reduce the number of people turning to drugs through comprehensive education and prevention programmes, to provide appropriate treatment and aftercare for those dependent on drugs, to have appropriate mechanisms at local and national level aimed at reducing the supply of illicit drugs and to ensure an appropriate level of accurate and timely information is available to inform the response to the problem.
I wish the Minister of State well and look forward to hearing what he has to say on the subject.
I thank my colleague, Senator Farrell, for kindly allowing me to take this slot. What a pleasure it is to see the Minister of State present. This is my first opportunity to welcome him to the Seanad and I wish him a long and glorious career as a Minister. I am sure he will do very well and I look forward to the day when he is Minister for Foreign Affairs which, as we all know, is a plum job in any Administration.
Or Finance.
Not at all – I would not touch it with a barge pole.
We are meeting this evening in the aftermath of a very worrying situation regarding the recent deaths from infections which have been spread not just in Dublin but also in other cities in the United Kingdom. This indicates a really serious problem. It is quite tragic, particularly when people inject themselves and the tissue is dam aged. The infections seem to be like the necrotising disease where all the flesh rots. It is just appalling. It seems this raises the question of quality control. That is a real problem, because one of the reasons for so many deaths, both from infection and overdose, is that there is no stable standard for the heroin available on the streets.
We will never stop people taking drugs. What I am about to say – I have said it before – will be wildly unpopular. It is that the only ultimate solution on a global basis is to legalise everything. When he was a Member of this House, Dr. O'Connell expressed the same view on the other side of the House some years ago. We must accept that people are adults, that they will sometimes make foolish choices and take decisions that will not enhance their lives and will lead to a certain amount of suffering. However, the suffering will be minimised. Most importantly, if this could eventually be done by treaty on a multinational basis, it would knock out the profit incentive. That is what is driving the whole drugs industry.
There should also be education because, even if the situation to which I referred occurred, people would legally get drugs at a cheap rate and inject themselves. They would not necessarily have happy lives. We should put out a slogan which says it is not fun to be hooked on heroin. Last year I heard on the radio a well educated young man with a university degree working as an accountant. He was a drug addict. He was surviving and was able to do his job, but he had to be constantly on the needle. His life was bloody awful. He had access to pure drugs – controlled amounts – and knew the quality of them, yet he was not getting much of a kick out of it because apparently after a while all one gets when one injects is a certain stability. One is back to normal, but there is very little buzz left. It is a sad situation.
The Government should look at the question of cannabis. Again, it is very difficult to control the supply and it feeds enormous sums of money into the pockets of gangsters. That is unnecessary. We should establish a commission to look into this question, to see what way we should treat this drug. I am not in favour of the nanny state. Many people if they are honest will say they smoked a couple of joints and engaged in other activities. It should not be a matter for the criminal law. We could take a look at other countries who have taken this view, such as the Netherlands.
Among the people who work most marvellously in this area – I am sure the Minister of State is acquainted with them – are those in ICON, the Inner City Organisations Network. It includes people like Deputy Gregory, Seán Lamb from Sheriff Street and Mick Rafferty. They were the first people to signal that there was a lack of co-ordination in our approach to drugs. We needed to bring in the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda, the social security and health services, etc., because people were escaping through the net. We did not have a grasp of the problem.
We need to listen to what is being said by these kinds of people. I have taken a brief from a very interesting group, the Dublin City Wide Drugs Crisis Campaign. I am sure the Minister of State is familiar with it because it made a submission to the review of the national drugs strategy. It is worth putting on the record some of the valuable things it has said in its submission. Again, it emphasises the community level. The first point the group made to me was that community representatives are clear that the putting in place of the national drugs strategy and the establishment of the local drugs task forces have been positive developments for local communities, and with this initiative by the Department, the role of the community centre has been formally recognised. That was very important for them.
The group goes on to say that the involvement by communities in the task force structures has played an essential role in changing the relationship between the community and the State sectors and in strengthening the role of the community sector generally. However, it points out that the effectiveness of task forces is dependent on the degree to which there is an existing structure and level of community organisation within the community itself. Many communities do not have this kind of infrastructure because of the lack of investment in resources.
The country now has plenty of money in the kitty and I would like to see the House supporting this vital young Minister of State in raiding the piggybank. I refer to the example of Noel Browne, who got his hands on the loot and wiped out TB. While the drugs problem is very sophisticated, a certain amount can be done with money, especially if it is put into the community. Money is not a solution to everything, but it plays a role.
The group goes on to say that there is a need to develop a parallel programme of community development supports for local task force areas and, in this light, the addition of a member of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs to the national drugs strategy task force is very important. It points out that community representatives are very clear in what they have told the group about the benefits of the network which have been facilitated through it. The group proposes that a cross task force technical assistance fund for community representatives should be established which would enable cross task force initiatives on training and information for community representatives. This is of a piece with what Deputy Gregory, Seán Lamb and others were saying some years ago about the need to have an inter-disciplinary approach.
The group says that local task forces cannot solve the drug problem entirely, and that task force budgets are insignificant in relation to the overall budget provided to State agencies. It points out that local task force plans should clearly set out the scale and level of development needed in their areas which cannot be met through task force funding, but which is essential in order to tackle the drugs crisis in the long term. The local task forces can then apply to central funds for moneys needed.
The group recommends that all Departments should be obliged to draw up a plan that indicates how they intend to support and complement the work of the local drugs task forces within each Department's overall plans and budget. It advises that structures need to be developed to facilitate involvement by the target group in the national drugs strategy. The group UISCE is developing this on a national basis parallel to the local task forces and it should be supported as a forum that can participate in the national drugs strategy in a similar way as the Dublin City Wide Drugs Crisis Campaign network. The group also points out that there is a need for participation by the target group in local task forces. Some task forces are already implementing this, for example in the north inner city area of Dublin.
The families of drug users are also directly and tragically involved. Support services are needed to help them. I ask the Minister of State to speak to his colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to see if a senior member of the Department will discuss this problem with the people involved. It is a disgrace and an outrage that this has not happened. I ask the House to support this because it is very important.
If one call was to go out from the House tonight it should be a call on the Department of Education and Science to help the Minister of State, who is doing an excellent job, and help the people involved in the local task forces. The Department is doing nothing. The chief executive officer of the East Coast Area Health Board has met them, as has the Minister. Why will the Department of Education and Science not move? It must do so.
I live in the north inner city. It is a wonderful area. It has had a real problem with drugs, but the people are wonderfully courageous. Some of the apartment blocks have been described in a negative fashion, but they are wonderful. I recently visited Ballymun. It could be a superb environment, but it is also ravaged with drugs because the people are deprived, they lack the educational facilities and they do not have the hope or infrastructure to help them. The House should put its muscle behind the Minister of State to try and address these matters and prevent the spread of the drugs problem.
I thank the Members for their kind words. It is always nice to be back in the Seanad. I always wanted to return this way.
It is the best way.
I welcome this debate because it provides an opportunity to discuss our drugs policy, especially the comprehensive review which I have currently undertaken. The key objective of the review is to identify gaps or deficiencies in the existing strategy and to develop revised strategies and, if necessary, new arrangements through which to deliver them.
I am glad to say that there appears to be broad consensus on all sides of the political divide on the main thrust of our current drugs policy, which has developed largely from two excellent reports produced by the ministerial task forces on measures to reduce the demand for drugs, as well as my party's policy document, entitled A Radical Approach to Drugs and Drug Related Crime. I take this opportunity to mention the work done by Deputy Rabbitte and my colleague, the former Minister of State, Deputy Flood, in developing this policy. Before discussing the review, I want to outline the background to the current drugs strategy and the various elements which make up our overall approach.
The principle of partnership and co-operation underpins our approach to tackling the problem. The key element of our approach is to bring key agencies together in a planned and co-ordinated manner to develop a range of appropriate responses to drug misuse, not just regarding stopping the supply of drugs but also in providing treatment and rehabilitation for those who are addicted, as well as developing appropriate preventative strategies.
It is also our policy to involve local people in the design and delivery of programmes to address drug misuse in their areas. We believe that an approach which allows voluntary and community groups to work with State agencies in tackling the drug problem significantly increases our chances of success.
During the past few years, the Government has made a concerted effort to tackle the drug problem. The Cabinet committee on social inclusion, which is chaired by the Taoiseach, is driving a comprehensive social inclusion programme and the Government has committed over £1 billion in the national development plan to implement it. This includes over £400 million to be administered by my Department and a significant portion of this money will be aimed at tackling drug misuse.
On the point made by Senator Norris about the source of the heroin problem, it is coming almost exclusively from areas which suffered enormously from unemployment, neglect and social exclusion over a 30 year period. It is embarrassing for all of us that this has been allowed to develop. We are all guilty, nobody in particular is to blame. The problem exists and we must tackle it. We have an opportunity now that we have the money, as a number of Senators stated, and the money must go into these areas. The Government is committed to doing that.
I want to give one important example of what is happening because this is a programme which can really unlock this, that is the integrated services process. There are four pilot schemes around the country, three of which are in Dublin, in Dublin 8, Jobstown and the north inner city. The other is in Togher in Cork. That programme is getting all the State agencies to tackle on an individual basis problems which arise for young people and other people in a locality. The four pilot schemes will finish at Christmas and then I hope we will be able to use the experience to move into other areas which have suffered from social deprivation. It really is the key.
Recently I launched a report for the pilot scheme in Rialto. The excitement evident in everybody, the people from the State agencies, school teachers and the local community, was fantastic. It means that everybody gets committed completely to it every day of the week, 52 weeks a year. That is what it will take to break this, not only money but real commitment. We owe it to these communities to break the cycle of social deprivation. Not only will we do that, but at the same time we will tackle many of the problems which are leading to the terrible heroin abuse in many of these communities.
To ensure the effective implementation of our drugs strategy, we have set up the national drugs strategy team, comprising personnel from all the key Departments and Government agencies. In addition, one person each from the community and voluntary sectors bring the perspective of those sectors to the team's work.
The team oversees and assists the work of the local drugs task forces, which were set up in the 14 areas experiencing the worst levels of drug misuse. The task forces will allow the State agencies to work at local level with community and voluntary groups in initiating responses to the drug problem appropriate to the needs of each area.
Through the structures I have outlined, we are delivering a comprehensive drugs strategy. On the supply side, we have legislated significantly over the past few years to increase substantially the powers of the Garda and other authorities to tackle organised crime and drug dealing. The Criminal Assets Bureau, in particular, has been extremely effective in ensuring that the drug barons are not afforded an opportunity to enjoy the wealth they have amassed from their criminal activities.
However, as those working with drug users know only too well, we cannot solve the problem simply by cutting off the supply of drugs. We must also put in place a range of education and other measures to prevent young people from turning to drugs in the first instance, as well as treatment and rehabilitation options for those who are already addicted.
Since the mid-1990s, we have made huge strides in providing treatment for those who are addicted to drugs. The numbers in treatment in the Eastern Regional Health Authority area, where the vast majority of heroin users reside, have risen from about 1,400 in 1996 to almost 5,000 in the current year.
While we have not quite reached the stage where we have eliminated waiting lists, we are making significant progress towards this aim. An interesting feature of our waiting lists is that while the number of people receiving treatment is increasing rapidly, the number waiting for treatment is decreasing at a significantly slower rate. This reflects the fact that more people are presenting as our services improve, which, in itself, is a welcome development.
Some people might argue that there may be as many as 13,000 heroin users in Dublin and that, therefore, only one third of them are in treatment. The reality, however, is somewhat different. It must be realised that not all heroin users are ready to present for treatment at any given time. Our aim must be to make sure that when they do present, the services are there for them. The Eastern Regional Health Authority estimates that if it provides a further five or six treatment centres, it will be close to eliminating the existing waiting lists. Its drugs service plan for 2000 is geared towards this aim.
Of course we are not relying totally on drug users presenting, we are actively encouraging them to do so. We have appointed outreach workers and, through the local drugs task forces, we have set up support, advice and referral centres for drug users and their families. Indeed, over 4,000 users and 3,000 families have availed of these services in the three years since the task forces were established.
An important development in the drugs area has been the development of a joint programme of action between the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Prisons Service aimed at ensuring that the level of treatment available to drug misusers inside prison is consistent with that available on the outside. Obviously when drug users are committed to prison, it presents an ideal opportunity to get them thinking in terms of doing something about their addiction. This programme includes: the provision of detoxification and drug-free wings in Mountjoy; a methadone maintenance programme; facilities for special needs groups, such as those diagnosed with hepatitis or HIV; the appointment of addiction coun sellors; and separate, but duplicate, facilities for women prisoners who misuse drugs.
In addition, my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, recently announced the setting up of a pilot drug court project in Dublin's north inner city. Drug courts, of course, have proved very successful in the United States, where they offer treatment and rehabilitation programmes for drug using offenders as an alternative to prison. A planning committee, which was set up by the Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, has developed a pilot programme based on the US model but suitably adapted to our circumstances.
The task forces have made very considerable progress in the three years since their establishment. As a result of initiatives developed through them, we have set up nearly 50 support and advice centres for drug users and their families. Over 4,000 drug users and 3,000 families have availed of these services. In addition, nearly 350 schools have participated in drug awareness programmes, with about 6,000 school children involved in these programmes. Some 350 teachers have received training and over 300 youth groups have run drug prevention initiatives. Training programmes have been delivered to 1,300 community workers, 1,200 parents and 1,300 young people outside the school setting. Over 160 resources materials such as videos, leaflets and brochures with drug awareness messages have been developed and disseminated in all the task force areas.
This represents a significant achievement and I take this opportunity to put on record my thanks and appreciation to the State agencies and the voluntary and community groups which have brought this to fruition through their work on the task forces. I also congratulate Citywide, ICON and other groups around the city and country which worked so diligently and hard at the coalface to tackle this serious problem. I thank the voluntary and community representatives who have given so generously of their time and energy. I also thank the national drugs strategy team for its excellent contribution in overseeing and supporting the work of the task forces.
An independent evaluation of the local drugs task forces undertaken in 1998 confirmed that they have been a huge success. The evaluation found that they had achieved a number of notable successes over a very short period, not least in the manner in which they have reduced the feelings of isolation and frustration previously felt by many of the communities in areas where the drug problem is at its worst. I am sure public representatives who work in these areas will have noticed a marked increase in the morale of community and voluntary drug workers since the setting up of the task forces. I am also pleased to see that representatives from all parties are now participating in the work of the task forces. I know that public representatives can enhance considerably the effectiveness of the task forces through their intimate knowledge and experience of drugs issues in their areas.
Although we have achieved many successes, it is a first step and there is a long way to go. Given the remarkable success of the task forces to date, the Government has allocated a further £15 million on top of the £10 million which they received earlier to enable them to update their action plans and further develop and expand the range of drug programmes and services which they provide.
While we have made tremendous strides in recent years, especially in terms of providing treatment, there is still a shortage of programmes to assist drug users to move from treatment towards rehabilitation and full reintegration into society. I have asked the local drugs task forces to place special emphasis on this issue in the updated action plans which they are preparing. Through measures developed by them in their earlier plans, almost 700 drug users are already in specially designed community employment schemes which offer them counselling, training and other necessary supports. These programmes are facilitated by FÁS, which has made up to 1,000 CE places available for such programmes.
In the area of aftercare, FÁS is working closely with other agencies such as the Eastern Regional Health Authority, which is finalising its own comprehensive rehabilitation policy proposals following detailed consultation with other key players including the voluntary and community sectors. The vocational education committees and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs are also examining what contribution they can make in terms of developing appropriate programmes for drug users attempting to complete their recovery.
There has been much debate and opposing views on the effectiveness of methadone as a treatment measure. I believe it is an effective intervention, as evidenced by the fact that nearly 300,000 drug users throughout Europe are on this form of treatment. However, it is only effective when it is supported by a range of other services, such as counselling, rehabilitation, etc. Our key priority over the next few years will be to develop these services. An encouraging trend in this regard is the number of people on methadone who are finding employment. The recent evaluation of the ERHA's treatment services, to which I referred earlier, found that in some treatment centres almost 40% of those on methadone were now working. Arguably, the stability which methadone has brought to their lives has allowed them to seek out employment and hold down a job in much the same manner as any other person on treatment for a long-term medical condition. This proves that, provided they receive treatment and other supports necessary to their well-being, drug users can effect a full recovery and return to a full and normal life.
However, that report also showed some negative aspects, such as that 60% of people are on benzodiazapenes. It is a problem we recognise and we hope that we will have a protocol in place in the new drugs strategy to try to stop the spread throughout the country of "benzos", as they are commonly called. It is a serious problem. They are extremely damaging and many people are taking methadone and benzodiazapenes together which can cause many problems for them. That can be dealt with in the new drugs strategy.
Sport and leisure can play a vital role in diverting young people away from drugs. Through the young people's facilities and services fund, we are supporting the building or refurbishment of nearly 50 youth facilities, 20 sports clubs and 20 community centres in the local drugs task force areas. In addition, almost 80 youth and outreach workers are being appointed to work with young people whoare at risk of becoming involved in drugs. A total of £35 million is being invested in projects under this programme.
The Government recognises that the problem of drug misuse is not confined exclusively to the local drugs task force areas. For this reason, we have provided funding under both the young people's facilities and services fund and the national development plan to address the drug problem in other parts of the country. This is essential if we are to ensure that the problems which have developed in Dublin are not allowed to spread to other parts of the country. Funding from the young people's facilities and services fund has already been allocated to Galway, Waterford, Limerick, south Cork city and Carlow.
The Department of Education and Science has introduced a number of initiatives to respond to the drug problem. The Walk Tall substance misuse prevention programme was piloted in 1996-97 and was extended to primary schools in all local drugs task force areas in 1997-98. It is being extended nationwide and, at this point, has been introduced in nearly 1,200 primary schools. The On My Own Two Feet programme for post-primary schools has been introduced in approximately 570 schools, with over 1,500 teachers having undergone inservice training.
In addition, recognising the direct link between educational disadvantage and social exclusion, the Department has introduced a range of other interventions, including the Breaking the Cycle initiative, which caters for 14,000 children, the allocation of additional resources to over 75,000 primary and 99,000 post-primary pupils in disadvantaged areas and the expansion of the home-school-community liaison scheme to all 316 primary and 211 post-primary schools designated as disadvantaged.
The more I examine this problem, the more I am of the opinion that if we want to tackle it in the long term we must tackle educational disadvantage. It is essential. I recently spoke with a person in the medical field who works in the north inner city. They told me they had been working for 12 years and that they had never met a heroin addict who had sat, never mind passed, his or her leaving certificate. Almost all had left school between 12 and 15 years of age. If that is not tackled in the long-term it will be repeated for generations to come.
To date we have, of necessity, tended to focus on the drug problem as it impacts on the local drugs task force areas. This is because of the impact of the heroin problem in these areas in terms of crime and public health concerns. However, there is a need at this point for a wider examination of our overall policy, not just in the task force areas but in the country as a whole. With this in mind, I have initiated a comprehensive review of the overall national drugs strategy. As I said at the outset, the objective of the review is to identify gaps or deficiencies in the existing strategy and to 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 drug misuse in the country as a whole. It will also attempt to identify any emerging trends and pinpoint the areas with the greatest levels of drug misuse.
To be as comprehensive as possible, it will also examine international trends, developments and best practice models. As part of the review we have invited submissions from interested individuals and groups. To date, I am pleased to say that over 120 submissions have been received. This indicates the extent of public concern and the high level of awareness of drugs issues. In addition, as part of the review process we are undertaking a series of public consultation sessions at eight different locations around the country. The fora provide a unique opportunity for all those working in this area to have an input in to how the strategy should be adapted to reflect the current reality of the drug problem and how the strategy should be shaped for the future. Our aim must be to ensure that the response to the drug problem remains relevant to the situation as it exists at present.
To date, we have held five sessions and the remaining three fora are scheduled for Athlone tomorrow, Sligo on Friday next and Dublin on Monday, 26 June. I invite Members to the remaining sessions to express any views they may have on what is a complex issue. Some of the issues which have arisen are early school leaving, lack of rehabilitation and counselling, lack of information about services – there is a breakdown in communications – and as others have mentioned, under age drinking.
To assist us in the review, my Department has engaged a team of independent consultants who are attending each of the fora. It is the Government's intention to have the review concluded by the autumn and a new strategy in place by the end of this year at the latest. Combating the drug problem is a key priority of the Government. All of us are aware of the havoc which drug misuse can cause to the individual, his or her family and neighbourhood. All Departments, State agencies and the voluntary and community sectors have key roles to play in this area. Collectively we must build on the progress to date and increase our efforts and commitment to control this great social ill which affects many of our communities.
I look forward to the contributions of Members during the debate.
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Eoin Ryan, to the House. I think it is his first time here in his ministerial capacity. I hope he has a good period in Government as Minister of State, particularly in this important portfolio.
We have been slow in dealing with the drugs problem in a comprehensive fashion. Two decades have passed since the heroin epidemic hit this city. It is only in the past four or five years that serious attempts have been made to respond to it. In that period there have been tragic, horrific deaths of young people, virtually all in their teens or twenties. The death of Veronica Guerin in 1996 was largely responsible for the sudden response from the authorities. Up to that time it was almost impossible to get any response from them with regard to the epidemic. Communities have been ravaged over that period. The statutory organisations have been grossly negligent in fulfilling their duties. The people I would first lay blame with is the medical profession. It denied the Hippocratic oath and would not treat drug addicts while they treated other members of their family. Prison doctors refused to provide a service appropriate to the needs of addicts. They refused to provide methadone as an alternative to drugs and delayed the introduction of a decent system of treatment and rehabilitation. It is only in recent years that Mountjoy, which has the largest number of addicts, has had any response to the problems there. It was like pulling teeth to get any scheme in place to deal with the problem. Thankfully, at last something is being done.
For the first time the Eastern Regional Health Authority is playing a role in the prisons. It should have been playing a role 20 years ago. It is only now beginning to realise it has a responsibility for what is happening in our prisons. The situation has been extremely bad and the Garda did not colour itself in glory in its response once these problems were in disadvantaged communities. I was delighted to hear all the Minister of State said and to recognise that substantial progress has been made over the past few years. His predecessor, Deputy Chris Flood, made an enormous contribution, as did Deputy Rabbitte. It was a sea change after the death of Veronica Guerin and a focus on where a solution might be found on a comprehensive basis. This came about by combining the statutory organisations with the voluntary organisations and the community. It was also based on the local partnerships and the establishment of a local task force. This is the right approach. There is all-party acceptance of and agreement with this approach. It compares with Northern Ireland in that there is no disagreement in terms of the process.
The situation is still not good. The funeral took place in Seán McDermott Street this morning of a young man who had taken an overdose. A needle was found in his arm. He had gone to the local clinic for treatment where he was put on the methadone bus. His parents believe he did not get sufficient methadone and had to turn to heroin. Their view is that the system let their son down. He wanted to be part of the system which offered him a course of treatment and to be dealt with properly. Whatever the rights or wrongs of that situation, the funeral which took place this morning was another tragedy. We do not know the extent of the problem.
Members might have seen an article in today's Evening Herald by Paddy O'Gorman in which he disputes the numbers of people presenting for drug treatment in the Dublin area. The estimated figure is 13,000, but he said it is closer to 5,000 – he did not say how close. If we are dealing with an official figure of 5,000 and there is an estimated figure of 13,000, the vast majority of people are not presenting for treatment. How can the problem be tackled when we do not know the extent of it? Is it a fact that most heroin addicts are outside the system? Does the Minister or the statutory agencies know?
When a point is reached where there is no waiting list we have some idea. It is the first step.
Nevertheless, in many circumstances I wonder if people will present for treatment as many of them are not interested in undergoing a treatment programme. Many are addicts and will remain so for whatever period, whether that ends in a tragic death or they beat the habit themselves or with the help of their families. There is a drug culture and it does not mean people will find it necessary to present themselves for treatment. That is the nature of drugs – it is an addiction, it is not a treatment. In most cases there is no treatment at the end of the line.
I would like to say more but I do not have time in the minute remaining to me. The supply side is still a major problem. The drug barons are outside the jurisdiction and it seems as though there is a wider network of gangsters getting involved in the supply of heroin to this country. A decision must be made – it will be a difficult one – on the difference between soft and hard drugs and whether soft drugs are the gateway to hard drugs. We do not know what is the stepping stone, if there is a stepping stone, to heroin. Heroin is a killer and in many instances the gardaí treat heroin and cannabis as though they were equal. Approximately 80% of the seizures by the gardaí are soft drugs such as cannabis, and these statistics are used in terms of dealing with the problem.
It is crucial that the areas of education and disadvantage are tackled. We have come a long way in the past few years. The Minister of State has the right approach and I look forward to progress being made under his aegis.
I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for listening to Senators' concerns on an issue which is of major concern to the people of this city and the country as a whole. The general consensus is that the drug problem presents itself in two distinctive forms. Heroin is used in the greater Dublin area and bigger cities. The use of cannabis and ecstasy is now a nationwide phenomenon. Heroin abuse is a much more pressing aspect of the drug problem because it brings with it public health implications and has a serious association with crime. We know that those using heroin encounter serious problems financing their addiction because it is an expensive habit.
Most speakers have commended the Government for the great efforts it has made in the area over the last three years. The setting up of the 14 local task forces, 12 of which are centred in the greater Dublin area, has been of tremendous benefit and value. Their brief was to target a co-ordinated response to the drugs problem incorporating the relevant statutory agencies and local communities. Local communities are essential to solving this problem as they have their finger on the pulse, they know where the problems exist and who is creating them. Communities have been afforded the opportunity to participate in resolving this problem and that has resulted in a much more cohesive response.
The task forces have had significant successes since their inception in 1997. Organisations involved now believe that for the first time ever there is a real structure in place. There is a great deal to be done and no one denies that. The Minister of State is more aware of it than anybody else. There has been a significant increase in the range of programmes available to drug users and potential drug users. It was very encouraging to hear what the Minister of State had to say recently about the number of people receiving methadone treatment. He said tonight that the establishment of five or six further centres is being considered. That would, as he suggests, reduce waiting lists significantly and may eliminate them entirely.
I welcome his proposals regarding a pilot drug court system which will, in some respects, prevent people going through the rigours of court and jail. I hope this will prove to be a decent alternative to going through the prison system. The demand for heroin in city areas is primarily a reflection of the basic underlying patterns of disadvantage and social exclusion which characterises those areas. It is reasonably easy to pick out an area in a city where one would envisage that a drug problem exists. Poor people living in these areas have limited educational aspirations, they have no real desire to educate themselves, they lack employment prospects and nine times out of ten they get caught up in the drugs disease.
The Minister of State said recently that 40% of those on methadone programmes are working. That is a major breakthrough and is very rewarding to those tackling this problem. He also indicated to me recently that 70% of methadone users no longer take heroin. That, too, is a very rewarding and encouraging statistic. We must emphasise that the vast majority of families who live in these poor areas affected by drugs are doing their very best to educate their children and to seek a better future for them. They take great pride in their communities. While we support those who have fallen foul of the system we should also give as much support as we can to those families who are doing their best in difficult circumstances. We need to focus our attention on those people. If they lose heart or give up hope we will have another spiral of this dreadful disease. It is necessary for us to respond in a most aggressive and positive way.
The Minister of State said that 350 schools had undergone a drug awareness programme. That is the way forward. He suggested in his speech that education is one of the keys to tackling this issue. It is most encouraging to learn that 6,000 children have been associated with the drug awareness programme. Teachers, youth groups and parents are playing their part in bringing about a solution. There is a clear need to invest in educational provisions adequate to meet the needs of areas through a targeted local education strategy. The Education (Welfare) Bill, when fully enacted will, hopefully, supply sufficient education officers in these areas to improve matters.
Overall, the national drug strategy has been very effective in creating a new impetus of response to the local drug problems. It has provided a framework for greater co-operation and a more integrated planning of the services required in the future. A strong case has been established in a number of areas for the development of new local plans.
The Minister alluded to many great proposals which are in the pipeline. I am confident that he, having taken up this task from Deputy Flood who did a tremendous job, has the commitment and ambition to bring about a very positive solution. Having worked with him in Dublin Corporation for ten or 11 years I am fully aware of his commitment in this regard. I heard him speak on this issue long before he became Minister of State. I have the utmost confidence that he will bring about very positive solution to this problem.
A phrase which occurs quite frequently in top psychology self-help books is that nice guys finish last. In this case at least one nice guy finished first. Deputy Eoin Ryan's promotion to Minister of State was universally welcomed and, in particular, was welcomed by Members of this House where he served with distinction.
The Minister of State has been handed a very difficult task. I do not think anybody expects him to solve the drug problem but we do expect him to put a severe dent in it. He has undertaken a very large programme and will, I hope, make a profound difference.
There are two approaches to the drug problem as I see it. The first is to cut off supply – if one does not have drugs one cannot use them. That may be the responsibility of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Anyone who sells hard drugs should receive a mandatory ten year jail sentence and any major drug supplier should get life imprisonment without remission or leave to appeal. Those who sell heroin are handing loaded guns to people, usually in deprived areas. They are giving them guns to point at themselves. They may miss the first couple of times but, as sure as God made little green apples, they will kill themselves eventually. It is a very serious offence. We cannot look on it too lightly. The other approach is to educate people, and that is the one adopted by the Minister of State. The reason the Minister of State and I do not use heroin is not that we cannot get it or might not like to chance it. It is that we are aware of the dangers of these drugs.
Our attitude to drug use is lighthearted in some ways – I refer particularly to alcohol. I know a fair amount about this because I work in a hospital. I have said before that the age of alcoholics is decreasing. Just 20 years ago it was in the mid-60s, but nowadays people as young as 16 or 17 are alcoholics and can never again take a drink. That is because of the abuse of alcohol. I know the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has made some recommendations in this regard recently and I hope those are taken on board. I was particularly impressed by a speech the Minister of State made to the National Drugs Strategy Review Group of the North-Western Regional Consultative Forum this month in Galway. He outlined some of the issues he referred to tonight, such as the local drugs task forces in Dublin and Cork and how many families have been helped. He also stressed the importance of education in combating drug misuse, saying that almost 350 schools have undergone drug awareness programmes, with approximately 6,000 school children participating, while 350 teachers have received training in this area. Over 300 youth groups have run drug prevention initiatives, while training programmes have also been delivered to 1,300 community workers, 1,200 parents and 1,300 young people outside the school setting.
A previous speaker said the Minister of State might look at legalising marijuana, though I do not want to misquote him. Marijuana is not a harmless drug. I have seen many people who have been abusing marijuana over a number of years and their lifestyle leaves a lot to be desired. They have lost their get up and go and are apathetic. Some countries which have legalised marijuana have found this to be the case.
In the past few days we have seen that football hooligans in Holland were smoking dope in cafés and did not kill themselves. That is the good side.
Medicinal purposes.
The bad side is that one keeps on smoking dope and gets into trouble. People should have no illusions. We cannot adopt the same attitude towards smoking dope that we have adopted towards alcoholism, as it is now accepted that young people drink an enormous amount. Our young people drink more than young people anywhere else in Europe and that cannot be tolerated.
The work the Minister of State has done so far in promoting involvement among young people in their local areas is a key element in dealing with this. Any response must take account of the different levels of drug misuse which are experienced around the country. Heroin abuse is rampant in some areas and, as previous speakers have said, the use of heroin is one of the causes of crime. It is not something that is given out free, though sometimes people are given some for free to hook them and get them into an awful lifestyle where they must steal and so on. The effect on the rest of society is enormous. Heroin abuse has profound implications not just for public health but for society as a whole. Burglaries and other crimes are committed by those who are hooked on heroin and who need money to feed their habits and it is rightly the primary focus of the national drugs strategy. If we are to reduce the numbers using drugs it will have to be done with a comprehensive education and prevention programme, which the Minister of State is undertaking. We must also provide appropriate treatment and rehabilitation for those dependent on drugs – the Minister of State is also addressing these issues.
There must be appropriate mechanisms at national and local level to reduce the supply. That is a matter for another Department, but the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is looking at that all the time. We must also ensure that an appropriate level of accurate and timely education is available to inform the response to the problem. I wish the Minister of State well in this enormous task. If he makes any dent in it, Irish society will reward and thank him.
I had not intended to speak on this matter, but it would be remiss of me as a person involved with young people on a daily basis as a teacher and adult education organiser not to say that I realise the terrible problems that confront young people.
I pay tribute to organisations which help those caught up in drug abuse. A few years ago an organisation arrived in my parish of Turloughmore and was viewed with some scepticism. We wondered what would happen and what kind of people would use that organisation. Now we realise the magnificent work being done by the Cuan Mhuire organisation. Sister Consilio Fitzgerald has made an enormous contribution to programmes fighting drug and substance abuse. I have not been given the opportunity to pay tribute to her here before, but I pay a glowing tribute to her and her organisation. The organisation is also based in Bruree in Limerick and in Kildare as well as having a facility a mile from my house. Sister Consilio has received little support over the years and has relied mainly on Christmas singers, raffles and sports, but I pay tribute to the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Molloy, who has come to her assistance and provided quite an amount of grant aid to enable her to enhance her facilities.
It is important to continue to support people like Sister Consilio and Cuan Mhuire. We can do so much to prevent drug abuse, but we must also have rehabilitation services. We must also help those working in the No Name Clubs who try to create meaningful and worthwhile activities for young people without alcohol, drugs and smoking. Those clubs are run by volunteers with little help from us. I pay tribute to those involved in the various training workshops run by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. These cater for young people who are brought in to be rehabilitated and who can be given work experience.
Tremendous work is being done and I commend the Minister of State and the task force on that work, but I appeal for more support and aid to be given to voluntary bodies such as the No Name Clubs, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform training centres and particularly those like Sister Consilio who have carried on a great crusade over the years. They have contributed greatly to helping many people and their families all over Ireland. I pay tribute to her, as she is in the mould of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She has made an enormous contribution and I appeal to the Minister of State to consider providing more support for rehabilitation and support programmes. I wish the Minister of State well in future. He has the support of every organisation and party in Ireland in tackling this problem.
I welcome the Minister of State and wish him well with his new brief. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Deputy Flood who also made a considerable input into this strategy on how best we can reduce the numbers taking drugs. The motion refers to the new Minister of State. We can take a fresh look at the problem, look at the strategies in place, identify any gaps in the strategy and see how best we can fill those gaps. The objective or the bottom line is to reduce the number of people taking drugs. The question is how best that can be done. What mechanism can we put in place to get the best result? How do we cut off the supply? That is a hard and complicated task and I wish the Minister of State well in that regard.
The local task forces, which were set up throughout the country, are a start. This task force will reflect the views of all the interested bodies, including the health boards, the Garda Síochána, FÁS, the Probation and Welfare Service, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the youth service, the community sector, the voluntary sector and the elected representatives. One or two people from each of these areas will come together, pool their knowledge and come up with a strategy on how to curtail the drug problem in the area in which the task force is working. It is a tall order. We must have people who are knowledgeable, who have the expertise, who are familiar with the problem in their area and who have access to the Minister of State or whoever else in order to put in place a programme to curtail the drug problem in a particular area. I recognise that this is very difficult in some cases.
Senators have referred to social inclusion. I congratulate the Government which has allocated a colossal sum of money, £1 billion, in the national development plan to alleviate the problem of social exclusion. Having said that, we are concentrating on areas of disadvantage but we may not be on the ball in other areas, such as middle class areas where there are young people, where the family structure has changed, where both parents are at work, where there are lone parents and where children have time on their hands between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. They are vulnerable during this period when they are hanging around open spaces. It is known that the drug problem is creeping into these areas. I say that to ensure we do not concentrate solely on the disadvantaged areas.
I welcome the educational programmes which have been put in place. The Minister of State and the Government are to be congratulated because they started with the Breaking the Cycle scheme. They introduced the Walk Tall programme in primary schools and the On My Two Feet programme in second level schools and have put in place home-school links and community initiatives. I hope the parents are getting involved in devising a co-ordinated effort.
I would also like to see greater involvement by FÁS which may have a significant role to play. Now that we nearly have full employment, we should be developing second chance education programmes for those people who are on drug programmes and initiatives.
Much work is being done. I know, as a teacher and from listening to people, teachers and other colleagues, that the number taking drugs has reduced which is welcome. We must not take our eye off the ball. The drug problem will spread to the middle class areas. We need a co-ordinated effort to make sure that all the bodies about which the Minister of State spoke in regard to the local drugs task forces will be aware of how best we can tap into the educational programmes and to teachers. Teachers are the first to detect a drug problem in the school, particularly where there is local authority housing neglect, environmental problems and family issues which will drive young people out of their homes and will leave them vulnerable. These young people will always be vulnerable and the drugs suppliers will be watching them.
I wish the Minister of State well. I have no doubt he is going about this in the right way. We have the money and the Government has made a huge commitment. This requires the full co-operation of the key bodies. If we get them working we will succeed and will drive the drug suppliers out of this country and into oblivion.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have only a few comments to add to the very sensible speeches which have been made by other Senators. I wrote to the Minister of State on the issue of trying to make communities realise that to have a drug treatment programme and facility in their area is not a threat but a method of dealing with the problem. The Minister of State and I, coming from the same part of the city, realise that when the Baggot Street programme was properly organised, there was a huge improvement. When we had one or two facilities around the city trying to deal with all the drug addicts who wished to get on programmes it was appalling. Once we managed to organise the situation, it was a great help.
I was delighted to see the circular the Minister of State sent to those of us who had written to him saying he was having meetings in various parts of the city, but he may have to become even more localised than that. If everyone coped with the drug addicts they had within their area, it would not only be better for the drug addicts, it would be better for the areas themselves. I realise the terrible limitations of methadone pro grammes. It is really only putting people into a halfway house where we try to get them off addictive drugs. For the community in the area and, even more so, for their unfortunate families, it makes a huge difference. It is the Minister of State's problem to try to organise it but if I can do anything to help him in the various areas in which he has met resistance, I will.
It is pathetic that we have a waiting list for people to get on programmes which are essentially to get people on to a legal drug, methadone-physeptone, and off illegal drugs. A major problem is the lack of recognition by people all over the country, not only in this city, that we have a serious drug problem, that every area will have to cope with it and that it cannot be farmed out elsewhere. The Minister of State will remember the way Baggot Street used to be as well as I do. It is not like that anymore, it is now organised. It made a huge difference when that happened.
We should be very grateful – I hope Senator Fitzpatrick will understand that this is important too – to those general practitioners, the family doctors, who have become involved in treating people in their practices in their catchment areas. I ask their other patients not to be quite so belligerent about it because it is very important. General practitioners know the family scene and the local and community scenes. If they are prepared to take on people with this serious addiction as patients, we should be eternally grateful to them and try to be supportive of what they are doing.
I ask the Minister of State if he could provide more resources to assist families who have a family member who is a drug addict because their lives are hell, no matter which part of society they come from. Half their goods are stolen and sold, credit is run up in their name and they spend their time trying to pay bills. Their situation is a nightmare. Goods which are stolen and replaced are stolen again. We need to be as supportive as possible of these families.
We also need to provide more support for people who come off treatment programmes for heroin or methadone, which is, after all, an addictive drug. These are two particularly difficult drugs to treat. A person may be clean and leave a programme but the more support we can provide the better. I would support any measure the Minister of State can take in this regard.
Some people get on to hard drugs in prison. However, unfortunately many of those who get off drugs in prison find little support when they are released. Objections are raised over the location of hostels and even drop-in centres where people can go to try to get the moral support which would help them to maintain themselves. No sooner do these people come out the gates of Mountjoy Prison than someone is waiting to meet them to get them back on drugs. Senator Fitzpatrick is nodding.
I wish to mention one group which does not concern the Minister of State but I would ask him to raise the matter with the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin. There is a problem with drug addiction in the medical profession, generally involving prescribed drugs. Unfortunately the Medical Practitioners Act only allows people to come before the fitness to practise committee when they are in an appalling state. This involves their being struck off. For some years the Medical Council has urged the Minister to modify the Act so we can deal with people suffering from alcohol or drug addiction at an earlier stage. It is dreadful that people have to reach the stage where they are struck off following an appearance before the fitness to practise committee. The Minister promised to address this issue but matters can be put on the long finger because there is much pressing legislation. On hearing a Bill was to be introduced before Christmas I often wish I had asked, "Which Christmas?"
Will the Minister of State ask for a sense of urgency in changing the regulations as this is a serious issue? Unfortunately some of those who become involved in drug addiction, including some in the nursing profession, get involved with addicts. The Minister of State is nodding and he knows this only too well. Along with the other efforts he is making, some of his Cabinet colleagues also need to take steps. I suggest that the first day the House resumes in October, the Minister for Health and Children introduces such a measure in the House. I am sure the Chief Whip would be delighted to have the Medical Practitioners Act in the House. Let us make a promise that the Minister of State will press the Minister on this matter and I will keep after Senator Tom Fitzgerald and we will amend the Medical Practitioners Act. This is a serious issue. The matter would not be contentious as we would all agree. However, a change might make quite a difference where there is an abuse of prescribed drugs and that is particularly important.
I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House. He will bring energy and commitment to the drugs problem. He has come up through the ranks of Dublin Corporation from an inner city constituency so he knows the problem, what he is talking about and what needs to be done.
Drug addicts have poor self-esteem and low educational attainments. None of those on the register has completed the leaving certificate and they see themselves excluded from mainstream life. The Minister of State has two instruments with which to deal with this problem – the local drugs task forces and the young people's facilities and services funds. As they say as Gaeilge, these are fite fuaite trína chéile – they are the two legs which support the whole edifice of dealing with drug addiction.
One Senator mentioned that Dr. Noel Browne came into pots of money in the late forties which he used to deal with the scourge of TB. I do not wish to take from Dr. Browne, but he had one instrument available to him which no Minister has today, namely the carrot and the stick. One could be inveigled or brought for treatment for TB. If one refused to go for treatment, the area medical officer had the stick of sending one to hospital. We may have to consider such an approach so that those who refuse to go for treatment, and who are a danger to themselves and others, may be forced to go for treatment. However, I doubt whether one can force an addict to undergo treatment.
Question put and agreed to.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
When is it proposed to sit again?
At 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 22 June 2000.