Young people in almost every town and city in Ireland were experimenting with drugs and if the problems which developed in Dublin were to be prevented from spreading, effective measures and new structures to implement them would have to be developed, the Minister of State for Tourism, Sport and Recreation has said.
Speaking in Cork at the first meeting of a regional consultative forum to review the National Drugs Strategy, Mr Eoin Ryan said that in the past the drugs strategy had focused on areas where drug abuse was most obvious - such as Dublin - but young people throughout the State were experimenting with drugs, such as cannabis and ecstasy, and something needed to be done.
He told the forum - the first of eight such meetings which will take place throughout the Republic over the next three weeks - that legislation already had been brought forward to increase the powers of the Garda and other authorities to tackle organised crime and drug-dealing.
"However, as many of you will be aware, we cannot solve the problem simply by cutting off the supply of drugs. We must also put in place a range of education, awareness 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."
The local drug task forces had made considerable progress since their establishment three years ago, Mr Ryan said, adding that as a result of their initiatives, almost 50 support and advice centres for drug users and their families had been developed.
Some 4,000 drug users and 3,000 family members had availed of these services. As well, nearly 350 schools throughout the State had undergone drug awareness programmes in which 6,000 schoolchildren had participated. Some 350 teachers had received training and more than 300 youth groups had run drug prevention initiatives. Training programmes had been delivered to 1,300 community workers, 1,200 parents and 1,300 young people outside the school setting.
"The recent heroin-related deaths and the horrific murders of drug pushers which have taken place in recent months is proof - if proof were needed - of just how complex and difficult the drug problem is to address. The Government is determined that the State agencies and local drugs task forces will have whatever resources and supports they need to allow them to do their work," Mr Ryan said.
Ms Rebecca Loughry, co-ordinator of the Cork Local Drugs Task Force, told the forum that the force was currently engaged in the preparation of an updated plan to combat the drug problem in Cork.
She said the task force had undertaken a comprehensive and wide-ranging consultation process to canvass as many opinions as possible.
Since its inception in 1997, the Cork Local Drugs Task Force has supported and funded 21 projects in the city, including research and community-based projects.
A new guide for young people in Cork, which has been produced by the Cork Youth Information Centre, was presented at the forum.