The Government has announced a £25 million package to fund youth, community and sports centres, youth and outreach workers and community-based prevention programmes in deprived areas of Cork and Dublin badly affected by heroin addiction.
The initiative was outlined yesterday at a press conference by the Minister of State for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Mr Chris Flood, who has special responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy. The conference was also attended by the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney and the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr McDaid.
Mr Ahern said the Government was tackling the supply side of the heroin problem through the gardai and the Criminal Assets Bureau, but it also had to target the demand for the drug in disadvantaged areas, particularly in Dublin.
He said "tackling the drug problem is about tackling the underlying factors which give rise to the demand for heroin", particularly by providing youth and sports facilities.
Mr Flood said the £25 million Young People's Facilities and Services Fund was based on three-year plans developed between local drug task forces, local authorities and VECs. These had identified the needs of young people most at risk and the severe gaps in youth, sport and community provision in the 13 drug task force areas.
These are Ballyfermot, Ballymun, Blanchardstown, Canal Communities, Clondalkin, Dublin 12, Dublin North East, Dublin Inner City, Dublin South Inner City, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, Finglas/Cabra, Tallaght and, in Cork, one area covering Glen, Knocknaheeney and Togher.
The new fund will finance 41 youth centres, 25 community centres and 20 sports facilities in these areas. In some areas, such as Ballymun and Corduff in Blanchardstown, new purpose-built youth centres will be built. In others, youth and sports centres will be modernised.
A variety of community-based programmes will also be funded, including early school-leaving programmes, after-school, sport and recreational activities, family support programmes, art, drama and music projects, counselling and transport services.
Organisations such as the National Youth Federation and the Catholic Youth Council will receive £500,000 to work on drug prevention programmes.
Mr Flood also paid tribute to the Irish Youth Federation - which raises funds through special events from the corporate sector - for contributing £264,000 to projects in five task force areas as part of its "Companies Caring for Children" initiative.