The problem of drug abuse continues to attract the attention of regional newspapers nationwide. The current issue of the Nationalist and Munster Advertiser tops its front page with the headline, "Drug pushers 'bullying, robbing Tipp teens'".
It reports: "Teenagers are being bullied and robbed by drug pushers in local authority estates in Tipperary town, the local UDC heard this week." Cllr Christy Kinahan told the council: "We have decent teenagers being systematically robbed. They are being blackguarded and tormented in certain areas and the garda∅ know damn well who the culprits are." The same paper reports: "An ambulance had to leave the scene of a serious road traffic accident to attend to two Junior Cert students unconscious with drugs and drink", according to Cllr Patsy Murphy at a meeting of Carrick UDC.
The Guardian carries the headline: "Nun praises Silvermines drugs suspect". It reports: "A man brought into Nenagh Garda Station on suspicion of having illegal drugs in his possession has been praised by a nun for his voluntary work in helping elderly people." The case was adjourned.
The Anglo Celt carries the headline, "Council alarmed at number of young people on drugs". The report by Tom Carron says: "Drugs are now an issue everywhere, even in the smallest villages", according to the chairman of Cavan County Council, Mr Danny Brady. Cllr Francis McDermott "called for the promotion of drugs awareness in different towns throughout the county". The report went on: "Mr Paddy O'Reilly, Virginia, suggested that drug awareness should be made part of the school curriculum and that transition should study (the problem) in detail."
The Mayo News gives front-page prominence to the problem: "A drugs task force has been set up to devise a strategy to combat drug abuse in the Western Health Board region, the three counties of Mayo, Galway and Roscommon. The new task force will bring together all the State agencies involved in the field of drug misuse as well as the voluntary and community sectors," the report says.
The paper also devoted an editorial comment to the matter. The paper says: "No longer can we pretend that drugs are a 'big city' problem or that incidents of abuse are very rare in our small towns and villages. As any GP or Garda will tell you, instances of abuse are now commonplace and are no respecters of urban or rural boundaries."
The Tallaght Echo, which serves the south Dublin area, has a report of a court case in which: "A man (charged with car theft and driving without insurance) told Kilmainham Court how he thought he could 'handle' smoking heroin and holding down a job." His solicitor told the court that "he realised that he couldn't continue this way". The case was adjourned.
The Leinster Express has a headline: "Cannabis found in Portlaoise man's bedroom." The report says a "search party went to a house (at 7.30 a.m. and seized cannabis worth £100". A man was asleep at the time. "He was later arrested and admitted to selling the cannabis to feed a heroin addiction." The defendant was remanded on continuing bail.
The Offaly Independent reports thus: "A reduction in the availability of illicit drugs is one of the overall aims of the National Drugs Strategy, launched in Athlone last week, which will also target the assets of middle-ranking criminals involved in drug dealing. It is also planned to target drug dealers at local level by making additional resources available to Garda drug units and for establishment of similar units in areas where they do not, currently, exist."
The availability of natural energy also attracts attention. The Donegal Democrat leads it front page with the headline: "Multi million £oil well off Donegal" over a report by Daniel Browne which says: "Enterprise Energy Ireland have, this week, confirmed they are to commence drilling off the coast of Donegal next March."
The Donegal People's Press reports: "Donegal's Cabinet Minister, Dr James McDaid, has described the decision to go with a gas link into the county as one of the most important developments for Donegal since the State was set up." The paper also carries a photograph of the Northern Ireland Minister for Trade and Enterprise, Sir Reg Empey, the North's Finance Minister, Mr Mark Durkan and Ms Mary O'Rourke, the Republic's Minister for Public Enterprise "at the announcement in Newry of the multi-million £gas link".
The Western People reports: "The Government has agreed to fund 90 per cent of the cost of a £20 million pipeline which will bring gas from the Corrib Field to Ballina, Sligo and some other towns in the North West."
The Mayo News reports: "Domestic consumers and industry in Ballina and Sligo can now look forward with confidence to supplies of natural gas from the Corrib Gas Field being made available to them. This follows a Cabinet decision to move ahead with the next step in extending the gas transmission to Ballina and on to Sligo from the proposed Mayo to Galway pipeline."