Vol. 632 Wednesday, No. 5 28 February 2007 DI´OSPO´ IREACHTAI´ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DA´ IL E´ IREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIU´ IL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Wednesday, 28 February 2007. Leaders’ Questions ………………………………1133 Ceisteanna—Questions Taoiseach …………………………………1145 Visit of Czech Delegation ……………………………1151 Ceisteanna—Questions (resumed) Taoiseach …………………………………1151 Requests to move Adjournment of Da´il under Standing Order 31 ………………1180 Order of Business ………………………………1181 Statute Law Revision Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage ………………………………1185 Referral to Select Committee …………………………1206 Carbon Fund Bill 2006: Second Stage (resumed) ……………………1207 Ceisteanna—Questions (resumed) Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Priority Questions ……………………………1209 Other Questions ……………………………1218 Adjournment Debate Matters ……………………………1235 Messages from Select Committees …………………………1236 Carbon Fund Bill 2006: Second Stage (resumed) ……………………………1236 Referral to Select Committee …………………………1261 Consumer Protection Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage …………………1261 Private Members’ Business Domestic Violence: Motion (resumed) ………………………1290 Consumer Protection Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage (resumed) ……………………………1323 Referral to Select Committee …………………………1345 Adjournment Debate Hospitals Building Programme …………………………1346 Hospital Services ………………………………1348 Nursing Home Subventions …………………………1350 Social and Affordable Housing …………………………1353 Questions: Written Answers ……………………………1357 1133 1134 DA´ IL E´ IREANN is a crisis that needs to be addressed? Is it five out of ten, six out of ten or seven out of ten? ———— What is the Government’s strategy in terms of constantly reminding parents of their responsibil- De´ Ce´adaoin, 28 Feabhra 2007. ities and children of the dangers in addition to Wednesday, 28 February 2007. the actions of the State in being able to address this issue? ———— The Taoiseach: Enormous and substantive pro- Chuaigh an Ceann Comhairle i gceannas ar gress has been made in the past 15 or 20 years 10.30 a.m. in the implementation of all aspects of the drugs strategy to deal with issues relating to drugs. ———— Mr. English: It was not very successful. Paidir. Prayer. The Taoiseach: In the past seven or eight years, we devised a national drugs strategy. We invested ———— the necessary resources, people and facilities in the strategy. Approximately 500 projects have Leaders’ Questions. been funded under the young people’s facilities Mr. Kenny: Yesterday, I raised the serious inci- and services scheme, which has been in place for dent arising from an alleged paedophile ring in ten years. Hundreds of youth workers and out- Dublin. Today, I wish to refer again to an issue reach workers are dealing with this issue. affecting our young people. We have known for Regional drugs teams are in place. There is a a long time that young teenagers are regularly good nucleus of people involved in the preven- getting hammered on drink. We know now from tion of drug abuse and in helping people get away a report being published today that they are also from drugs and staying off them. We invested getting high on drugs. This report is aptly called, money in sport, recreation and addiction coun- The State of the Nation’s Children — I emphasise selling throughout the country. We have a good the word “children”. The report shows that four basis that has been built up over a number of out of ten children under 15 years of age have years with a significant number of people sampled drugs. That makes us number three in involved. the world for trying out drugs. When it comes to girls, tragically, we are number one in the world Mr. Costello: The situation is getting worse. for trying out drugs. That is an 8% increase in eight years. The Taoiseach: The figures quoted in the When I raised the issue of drugs a fortnight media and referred to by Deputy Kenny in regard ago, the Taoiseach stated: “I do not believe we to teenage drinking and drug use relate to a sur- should say... there are serious drug problems in vey which was carried out in 2002 and published every village, community and locality because in 2003. The report is four years old. It was pub- that is not the case”. Fr. McVerry rightly pointed lished by the European school survey project on out drugs are apparently available within five alcohol and drugs. The statistics, together with minutes of any location. We know the duties of other research from 22 different data sources, are parental responsibility include that parents know contained in a report which has been compiled by where their children are at any time and who they the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and are with, but today’s report is a damning indict- the Office of the Minister for Children. The ment of the state of society in so far as young report will be published today. It does not contain teenage boys and girls are concerned. any new information. It is a compilation of exist- ing data on areas of children’s lives that have Mr. Brennan: They sample drugs. been identified as important indicators of their well-being. Mr. Kenny: I am not sure what action the The report contained some very good news absent and sometimes hysterical Minister for about children. For example, Irish children rank Justice, Equality and Law Reform has taken second among WHO countries in terms of being about respectable Ireland, which, according to physically active and involved in recreation and reports, regularly snorts vast quantities of white sport. This is classified worldwide as being at least powder, namely, cocaine. four hours per week. I agree with Deputy Kenny about the fact that 40% of teenagers have exper- An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy’s time is imented with drugs — let us get the word right, concluded. it is “experimented”. If a child of 14 tries one fag or one drink, it does not make him or her a com- Mr. Kenny: In the Taoiseach’s view, what state pulsive smoker or an alcoholic. do we have to reach before he realises the reality of what is happening and for him to agree there Mr. McCormack: It leads to it. 1135 Leaders’ 28 February 2007. Questions 1136 Ms O. Mitchell: Alcohol is legal. There is a Mr. Kenny: The Taoiseach should not try to slight difference. put words in my mouth. I did not say that every young person was experimenting with drugs. I The Taoiseach: One samples. said the report indicated that young people under the age of 15 were trying out drugs. I agree that An Ceann Comhairle: The Taoiseach should be definitions are important. Cannabis is a gateway allowed to speak without interruption. drug and leads to other addictions. Some of the facts that have emerged in recent years include a The Taoiseach: A total of 40% of teenagers teenager, high on Ecstasy, gouging out his own sampled drugs. eye at a party. Parents have taken out barring orders against their drug-addicted children to Mr. J. O’Keeffe: It is the first step. avoid eviction. A 17 year old Dublin girl, a drug addict, was charged with loitering in a public The Taoiseach: They are not on drugs. They place with intent to solicit for prostitution. A 16 are not junkies or winos. Deputies opposite year old homeless boy begged that he be brought should not try to twist figures. I do not believe all to St. Patrick’s Institution for Christmas. Heroin our young people are either drinking or on drugs addiction ruined the life of a 16 year old. It or that every community is riddled with drugs. I caused him to attack his father and wreck his do not believe that; I do not see it. home. This reality was brought to my attention last night at a meeting in Dublin, where many Mr. Durkan: The Taoiseach had better come children from the inner city leave the primary alive then. system with no hope and find themselves exposed to drugs on a regular basis. Mr. English: The Taoiseach should get out of The Taoiseach states he is doing all the work. ´ his car. In 1996 there was a total of 52 gardaı in the Garda National Drugs Unit, of which 47 were oper- ational gardaı´. In 2006 there was one more, 53, An Ceann Comhairle: The Taoiseach should be to deal with what the Taoiseach talks about. The allowed to speak without interruption. Taoiseach is in favour of everything that helps, as am I. Since I made a proposal for voluntary ran- The Taoiseach: I do not see it and I do not dom drug-testing in schools two weeks ago, it has accept it. received strong support from around the country. Pilot schemes could be undertaken in one or two Mr. Kehoe: The Taoiseach should get his head counties, asking the schools to agree to a random out of the sand. drug-testing scheme on a voluntary basis to help reduce peer pressure and the incidence of exper- The Taoiseach: It is not the evidence of edu- imenting with drugs. This proposal would be cationalists, people involved in sports or the helpful although the Minister for Education and scouting organisations. I accept people are Science does not agree. addicted to drugs but let us not try to use figures I congratulate the Garda Sı´ocha´na but the for those who might have sampled drugs once in problem is out of control in some areas. The price their life and accuse them of being addicted. of cocaine is dropping due to a flood of it on the Under the national drugs strategy, there are a market. It is addictive. Fine Gael will support any number of dedicated school programmes aimed action taken. Does the Taoiseach support volun- at tackling drug abuse. We should continue the tary random drug-testing and will he give it his social, personal and health education programme imprimatur? which is a curriculum subject at both primary and post-primary schools at junior level.