COMMUNITY-BASED drugs groups in the southeast are being forced to cut educational initiatives highlighting the dangers of drug use because funding is not available.
These programmes are the first casualties of a 9 per cent funding cut for the South East Regional Drug Task Force.
The taskforce held a meeting this week to agree a package of cuts following confirmation from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs that it will have 8.37 per cent less funding in 2009 than in 2008.
The Waterford-based group is one of 10 task forces nationwide whose objective it is to develop policies to deal with drug misuse.
John P Murphy, chairman of the taskforce which works with community-based drug initiatives from Wexford through to south Tipperary and Waterford, said it was a "desperate situation" that at a time when the demand for drugs services was increasing, the funding was being reduced by such a large amount.
"There is no doubt but this cut in funding is going to have serious implications for services we provide by way of treatment and support for those with drug problems in the southeast and their families.
"The first things that will suffer are the one-off specific projects we fund for the community-based initiatives. These would include regular week-long educational programmes the community groups organise to raise awareness amongst parents of the symptoms of drug abuse so that they can recognise them in their children.
"We simply don't have the money for these things now. It's going to be very, very difficult for us to do our job."
He said it was with "great disappointment, frustration and anger" that the taskforce had agreed a package of cuts to meet the department's requirements. The reality was that the level of funding being provided for 2009 could be up to 19 per cent less than what was actually needed to maintain existing projects at 2008 levels.