Source: Irish Times 
Author:  Richard Balls 
Pubdate: Friday, December 19, 1997
Contact: Letters to Editor, The Irish Times, 1115 D'Olier St, Dublin 2,
Ireland
Fax: ++ 353 1 671 9407

AGENCIES CLAIM GOVT HAS CUT DRUGS PROJECTS FUNDING 

Minister of State Mr Chris Flood said yesterday that the provision of £20
million in funding for antidrugs projects was simply a recommendation by
the previous government. Mr Flood was reacting to criticism from agencies
working with young people and antidrugs campaigners, who claim that the
Government has reneged on its policy on drugs by cutting funding from £20
million to £1.25 million.

The fund for youth services was however being set up and initial funding of
£1.25 million was being put in place, he said.

Mr Flood said the previous administration had proposed a National Drugs
Strategy Team, 12 local drugs task forces in Dublin and one in Cork. The
present Government had now allocated £10 million to implement the plans
drawn up by these task forces.

The fund would be administered through the Department of Education and
Science and would be specifically targeted at areas of major disadvantage.

The Dublin CityWide Drugs Crisis Campaign said the announcement represented
"the backtracking on commitments made by Fianna Fail and PD representatives
and in Fianna Fail's own policy document on drugs".

"Local communities right across Dublin will see this as a major blow by the
Government to their efforts to save the next generation from the
devastation of heroin and drug misuse," said spokesman Mr Seanie Lambe.

The establishment of a Youth Development Fund with a budget of £20 million
was proposed by the previous government in the Second Ministerial Task
Force on Drugs.

This was welcomed by communities around Dublin as a key development in
"beginning to address the issues which lead young people into misusing
drugs," said Mr Lambe.

"This Government is putting a lot of emphasis on highprofile activities in
going after the drugs barons and this is obviously welcome, but they must
recognise that lowkey everyday work on the ground in local communities is
just as important in tackling the drugs problem."

The Coalition of Communities Against Drugs said many communities were
concerned at the lack of progress being made in combating the drugs crisis.

The frustration of people in these areas would be further compounded by the
clear message from the Government that dealing with the drugs problem and
the underlying issue of social exclusion was not a priority, said a
statement. 

  

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