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.