Pubdate: Tue, 18 Dec 2007
Source: Irish Independent (Ireland)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd
Contact:  http://www.independent.ie/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/213
Author: Ralph Riegel

GARDAI 'WINNING THE WAR ON DRUGS'

JUSTICE Minister Brian Lenihan vehemently rejected claims that 
Ireland is losing the war on drugs, but warned that the gardai and 
courts cannot win the battle without public responsibility.

His warning came as he expressed "grave concern" at drug-related 
crime and the tragic deaths of a number of people due to suspected 
drug taking over the past month.

The minister warned that alcohol remained "the gateway drug" for many 
Irish addicts and confirmed that, in the New Year, he would introduce 
tough new regulations on alcohol availability.

He flatly denied that the courts were too lenient on drug offenders 
or that gardai were slowly losing the battle against increasingly 
heavily-armed drug gangs.

He also appealed for information from the public about drug dealers, 
and warned that individual moral responsibility was a huge factor in 
the battle against drug crime.

Mr Lenihan confirmed, meanwhile, that the new language test 
regulations would be introduced in next year's Emigration Bill, which 
will toughen deportation rules and systems.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom