Drugs strategy unworkable, warn community groups

COMMUNITY drug groups have warned the Government they can’t implement a new national drugs strategy with slashed budgets and a “part-time” minister for drugs.

The Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign was speaking ahead of the National Drugs Strategy (NDS) 2009-2016, which is being published today by Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

“It is impossible to expect communities to deal with an ever growing drugs crisis with less resources and the extension of the drugs strategy to include alcohol demands that more resources, not less, are now needed,” said Citywide co-ordinator Daithí Doolan.

The former Sinn Féin councillor said the Government had already cut funding by €2.6 million: “It beggars believe the Taoiseach expects community projects and drugs task forces to deal with the causes and consequences of drug and alcohol addiction with less funding.

“We now have a part time junior minister [John Curran] with less resources and more responsibilities than before.”

The new strategy, details of which were revealed in the Irish Examiner last May, succeeds Ireland’s first drugs strategy (2001-2008). It contains a number of new actions: combating intimidation of families and communities by drug dealers; targeting gangs using children as runners and random drug testing of motorists.

Long-time Citywide activist Fergus McCabe said: “There are lots of things in the strategy we welcome – indeed many of them we looked for – but our concern is over the actual implementation.”

He said community groups were furious at the decision to abolish the National Drugs Strategy Team.