EXTRA POUNDS 2.2M FOR ANTI-DRUG BATTLE

A further pounds 2.2m is being allocated to the fight against drug
misuse across the province, the Government has announced.

The cash will be divided between 21 successful projects out of 71
bids.

In total, pounds 5.5m is being made available over the three years to
March 2002 to support the implementation of the Northern Ireland Drug
Strategy, of which pounds 4.5m is going directly to fund projects on
the ground.

The new funding, which the groups will receive over this financial year
and the next, is in addition to the pounds 2.3m announced by Minister
of State Adam Ingram in March.

John Chase
At that time Mr Ingram announced that a further sum would be released
by the summer and organisations, particularly those from the voluntary
and community sectors, were invited to apply.

Criteria for selection were established then and were applied
rigorously to all bids.

The money is being allocated immediately and will allow the successful
groups to get on with this important work.

Projects now being assisted include:

- -locally-based drug education programmes for children and young people;

- -an information and advice centre in Ballymena;

- -community based drugs awareness training on Belfast housing estates
and in Kilkeel;

- -the development of IT packages on drug-related issues;

- -a counselling service in Newtownabbey; and

- -a rural drugs awareness programme in Irvinestown.

A Government spokesman said: "This funding will support local
communities in their work to tackle drug misuse. The projects can make
a real difference to the lives of the people in those communities."