Anti-drug funding increased

Government funding for the battle against drug misuse has been substantially increased in 2005, Minister Noel Ahern TD announced today.

Mr Ahern said the new funding package is an 18% increase on last year’s budget.

The Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy said the extra money would be specifically targeted at the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces and the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund.

He said in practical terms, that would mean:

:: A new fund to tackle emerging needs in the Local Drugs Task Force areas will be put in place,

:: A number of pilot projects to specifically tackle cocaine use will be rolled out in early 2005,

:: Funding to implement the action plans from the Regional Drugs Task Forces will be made available,

:: There will be another round of capital funding under the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund in LDTF areas and approved urban areas,

:: A further round of funding through the Premises Initiative for LDTF community based drugs projects will be rolled out, and

:: Administrative supports for the Task Forces will be enhanced to improve their delivery capacity at a local level.

Mr Ahern said next year’s increase in funding comes on the back of years of investment in drugs programmes since 1997, amounting to just under €190m in total.

He said this money meant over 440 projects are being supported in local communities through the Local Drugs Task Forces, over 450 facilities and services projects are being delivered through the YPFSF and 50 projects are being supported under the LDTF Premises Initiative Programme.

Mr Ahern said a number of large scale community/youth facilities have already been built throughout Dublin and three more such centres are planned for Bray, Clondalkin and Tallaght this year.

“The Task Force initiative and the YPFSF target the areas with the highest rates of problem drug use in the country and are a vital element in the overall National Drugs Strategy,” he said.

“I am very pleased with the work that is on-going and with what we have achieved to date.

“In 2005, I believe we will consolidate and build on that investment and continue to tackle the drug problem in the most comprehensive way possible.”