Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2019
284. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure and allocations attributable to drugs programmes that were made available in each of the past five years; the projects and programmes supported by the funding in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7114/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraOver the last five years, my Department has provided funding to the following six projects in local drugs task force areas in Dublin ;-
- Killinarden Drug Primary Prevention Group in Tallaght (KDPPG)
- Drug Education and Training, Dun Laoghaire Parents Making Children Aware (PMCA)
- Blanchardstown Early School Leavers Project (BESLP)
- Crinan Youth Project (Salesian Youth Enterprises), Seán McDermott Street
- Familibase, Ballyfermot
- Rehabilitation and Support Programme (RASP), Malahide Road Industrial Estate
The funding provided to each of these projects over the period is set out in the table.
My Department is working to support the Government’s policy on drug and alcohol use through its engagement on the national strategy Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery – a health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025. Working with other Government Departments and agencies it is represented on both the National Oversight Committee and the Standing Sub-Committee, established to give leadership and drive implementation of the strategy.
Schools support their students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with a range of difficult issues, including drugs, alcohol and gambling. This is mainly done through the SPHE programme, which has a specific module on the use and misuse of a range of substances. SPHE is currently mandatory in all primary schools and in junior cycle. It also forms part of the mandatory 'Wellbeing' area of learning for the new junior cycle which was introduced in September 2017. Schools are also encouraged to deliver the SPHE programme in senior cycle.
Relevant topics in SPHE include student decision-making skills and safety and protection. Students learn how to exercise judgement, weigh up different possibilities, examine the steps and choices that guide them towards considered decision-making, begin to understand their own rights and the rights of others, and explore decision-making. In respect of safety, students’ ability to assess the consequences of risky behaviour is developed.
Current best practice guidelines for the delivery of SPHE indicate that the classroom teacher is the best placed professional to work sensitively and consistently with students and that individual themes such as Substance Misuse Prevention should not be treated in isolation but should be integrated with the other SPHE modules.
Funding provided by DES to projects in LDTF areas 2014 - 2018
|
Year |
KDPPG |
PMCA |
BESLP |
Crinan YP |
Familibase |
RASP |
|
2014 |
€48,000 |
€7,450 |
€71,070 |
€50,475 |
€67,400 |
€138,840 |
|
2015 |
€43,200 |
€6,705 |
€76,615 |
€52,040 |
€67,400 |
€138,840 |
|
2016 |
€38,880 |
€6,035 |
€76,615 |
€52,040 |
€67,400 |
€143,830 |
|
2017 |
€34,560 |
€5,365 |
€76,615 |
€52,040 |
€67,400 |
€148,820 |
|
2018 |
€34,560 |
€5,365 |
€76,615 |
€52,040 |
€67,400 |
€148,820 |
