2002 CityWide Policy Document

Dublin Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign launched its first policy document "Responding Together" in May 1996 at a time when communities were in turmoil over the drugs issue. Three years later, Citywide's second policy document was launched " Responding Together - the Crisis Continues." The Crisis Continues acknowledged the significant achievements and development in the years 1996 to 1999, but also stated unequivocally that, despite these achievements, the drugs situation was till very much a crisis in 1999. This, the third Citywide policy document, also acknowledges the achievements of the three years from 1999 to 2002, but carries a similar unequivocal message - The Drugs Crisis Continues.

The First Report of the Ministerial Task Force on Measures to Reduce the Demand for Drugs came out in October 1996. This report stated that "drug use is concentrated in communities that are characterised by large-scale social and economic deprivation and marginalisation. The physical/environmental conditions in these neighbourhoods are poor, as are the social and recreational infrastructures." Government policy was finally giving official acknowledgement to the case that has been argued by communities for a long time, about the links between socio-economic conditions and drug use.

As a result of the Task Force Report, 13 Local Drugs Task Forces were established, 12 in Dublin and 1 in Cork, a 14 th Task Force was later established in Bray. The Local Drugs Task Forces have enabled local community representatives to become involved in drawing up plans and implementing services and have resulted in the investment of much needed resources into local communities. There are approximately 220 Task Force funded projects in place and an evaluation in 2000 outlined their work and achievements. 51% are education/prevention projects, 36% are treatment/rehabilitation projects and 3% are supply control.

The Second Ministerial Task Force Report was published in May 1997 and one of it's key recommendations was the setting up of a Youth Services Development Fund, as "high priority should be attached to developing youth facilities in areas where the problem of drug abuse is prevalent or where it may be likely to emerge." Following an intensive community campaign, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund was announced in January 1998 and this was followed by the announcement of a second round of funding, which is being allocated during 2002. Approximately 350 facility and service projects are being supported under the Fund, with the bulk of spending in Local Drug Task Force areas and some in the urban areas of Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Carlow.

The treatment figures for 1996 to 1999 showed a rapid expansion in the then Eastern Health Board treatment services, with numbers in treatment rising from 1,861 in December 1996 to 3,675 in February 1999. The methadone protocol was introduced in.October 1998 in order to regulate and control the supply of methadone. Since 1999, there has been a further significant increase, with numbers in treatment across the three Eastern Region Health Authority(ERHA) areas now at over 5,800.

The budget made available through Fas for CE Special Drug Projects has contributed significantly to the development of rehabilitation programmes in local communities, with a total of 18 projects in the ERHA region in the first phase of funding and a further 19 new projects to be funded under phase two.

The work of the Criminal Assets Bureau has been very important in targeting the assets of major drug dealers and this work has continued during the last few years. Since its inception in 1996, the CAB has frozen assets to the value of 8.4million, demanded in excess of €37million in tax payments (of which 10 million has been collected) and has saved almost €1.6million in social welfare payments.

The development of Community Policing Forums in local areas has been a community led response to improve relations between Gardai and local communities. The Gardai have given formal backing to the pilot Community Policing Forum in the South Inner City. The pilot Drug Court was established in the North Inner City in January 2001 and the evaluation of the pilot phase is now being completed.

The Dept. of Education has continued the process of introducing the schools programmes "Walk Tall" and "On My Own Two Feet" to primary and post-primary schools across the country. During the past year, and in response to a need clearly identified both at community and statutory levels, the Department has also nominated representatives to the Local Drug Task Forces.

The Family Support Network was set up following the first Service of Commemoration and Hope in February 2000. The attendance at the Service by a wide range of politicians and statutory representatives marked an official level of recognition for the numbers of deaths that have been caused through drugs and the resulting devastation and grief for communities and families. The Family Support Network has helped to bring together family support groups from across the city and has highlighted the importance of family support work around the drugs issue.

The National Advisory Committee on Drugs was established in 2000 to advise the government on the development of future policy in the drugs area. The setting up of the Committee is an important recognition that the drugs problem cannot be dealt with in the short term and that long term planning and development is required.

So it is clear that there have been a number of significant achievements in tackling the drugs crisis since the first Citywide policy document in May 1996 and then from 1999 to date. Despite these achievements, Citywide must state unequivocally that the drugs crisis continues.