MONEY WILL PUT PUSHERS BEHIND BARS

THE war against drugs has been boosted by a massive pounds 28million over
the next three years in the new budget.

MacKay, a former drugs minister, is still passionate about nailing the evil
dealers.

Immediately, pounds 2million a year will go to the Crown Office, to give
them more resources to convict drugs criminals.

The Executive have already set up the Drugs Enforcement Agency, and now
they want to make sure that their investigative work on the streets is
turned into convictions in court.

One Executive insider said: "We have put in place the weapons we need to
catch the drugs criminals.

"This new money will make sure that, once we have caught them, they will be
convicted and taken off our streets.

"MacKay was drugs minister before he moved to finance and the drugs war is
something he still feels strongly about."

The Executive will target community-based projects to help curb the problem
and drive the dealers out.

MacKay's successor as drugs minister, Iain Gray, will make detailed
announcements on how the rest of the cash will be spent over the next few
months.

Overall, the justice budget shows a cut or pounds 7.7million but MacKay
insisted there had been no cuts in frontline police services.

The Minister has instead re-allocated a fund set up to pay for potential
legal challenges under the European Convention on Human Rights, after fewer
challenges were mounted than expected.