DAIL BODY IS CRITICAL OF SUM SPENT ON DRUG PROJECTS

THE Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation was sharply criticised by
the Dail Public Accounts Committee yesterday for not spending all its
IEP9B79m allocation earmarked for local drug treatment projects.

The department, which has responsibility for the drugs initiative set up in
1996 with monies provided by the Exchequer, spent IEP1B75m in 1997 and a
total of IEP6m by the end of last year 96 leaving nearly IEP4m unused.

Department secretary general Margaret Hayes, who was giving evidence,
explained this was a six-year programme which adopted an innovative approach
to tackling the problem at local level.

There was a difficulty in getting projects started up and there was local
reluctance to have treatment centres located in their areas.

Ms Hayes said local drug task forces had a role to play in allaying those
fears by explaining what could be achieved.

Pat Rabbitte (DL) described the Department of Tourism and the drugs
initiative as an odd combination. One had to accept there was a fear among
people in having drug addicts treated in their back yard, but there was a
danger in fueling that reaction.

Conor Lenihan (FF) queried the official estimates of 5,000 heroin users in
Dublin and said it was important they had information about the full extent
of the problem.

Ms Hayes said drugs were an illegal activity and it was difficult to get
accurate statistics on the numbers using them. The number of heroin addicts
was estimated at between 4,500 and 5,000 people.

Committee chairman Jim Mitchell (FG) said drugs were a horrendous social
problem. The long delay in getting people into treatment programmes would
seem to indicate a very large problem.

John Dennehy (FF) described how he had been personally involved in voluntary
work since 1982 relating to the prevention of substance abuse.

He did not believe one could separate drugs from alcohol with regard to
abuse, despite the approaches adopted by the departments to separate them.