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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministerial Task Force on Drug Abuse.

Drug abuse programme and subversive groups

Summary

Brennan urged the task force to follow up on an RTÉ programme and raised the activity of illegal organisations. The Minister said task force members and the Justice Minister were aware of the issue, and warned residents’ associations against subversive groups exploiting it.

Will the Minister refer the recent RTE programme on this whole issue to the ministerial task force and ask them particularly to institute a follow-up to the frightening situation as revealed on that programme? Is the Minister prepared also to draw to the attention of his colleague, the Minister for Justice, the revelations of that programme concerning the apparent activity of illegal organisations in many of the areas mentioned? The activities of these organisations, as revealed on that programme, are frightening. It is a matter that the Minister ought to raise formally with the Minister for Justice.

Comment on this
Thomas J. Fitzpatrick An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

Those are separate questions. Question No. 6 asks whether the Minister intends implementing certain recommendations.

Comment on this

I am asking about the ministerial task force in which the Minister for Justice has an input.

Comment on this
Thomas J. Fitzpatrick An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

That may be so but the question on the Order Paper refers to a report. The Deputy seems to be raising other matters.

Comment on this

I have received various progress reports. The members of the task force are very much aware of the programme in question. The Minister for Justice, too, is acutely aware of the efforts of criminal subversive organisations to exploit the situation. I urge that residents' associations, particularly in the greater Dublin area, should not succumb to the deliberate manipulation of the problem by these subversive groups, notably the Provisional IRA, whether by way of initiating the problem or of attempting allegedly to control it. These are groups who are masquerading on the basis of democracy.

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