¿5m for regional task forces to combat drugs problem

The State's 10 regional drugs task forces are to receive €5 million in funding by the end of this year.

Just over €2.5 million was allocated last month to six of the drugs task forces; the remaining four are to receive funding for their programmes this autumn.

The money is being used to finance the task force's regional action plans, which aim to address the gaps in service provision for problem drug users and to run drug-prevention programmes.

The major funding allocation followed criticism by the Minister of State for Community Affairs Noel Ahern of some towns' responses to the drugs problem.

Speaking in the Dáil last June, Mr Ahern, who has responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, said his department had "not always got co-operation from some towns" which he did not want to name.

They had "adopted the attitude that the problem does not exist. Or if it is ignored it will go away. But the only way to tackle a problem is by providing services," he said.

He said money would enable the task forces to develop a range of new initiatives to tackle drug misuse in their areas.

"I am confident that the funding that will be approved this year will have a positive impact in addressing the gaps in services for drug misusers in the different regions."

Regions that benefited in the first funding round are: South East (€500,000); South (€500,000); East Coast (€500,000); South West (€500,000); North East (€290,000); and Northern Area (€250,000).