War on drugs is not being won says Ahern

IRELAND is not winning the war on drugs, the minister of state with responsibility for drugs strategy and community affairs said yesterday.

Minister of State Noel Ahern said while heroin use had stabilised in Dublin it seemed to be growing in certain provincial towns, particularly Leinster towns such as Portlaoise, Athlone, Arklow and Carlow.

He said some wars could not be won, but the Government was doing what it could to combat the problem.