23 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the funding, if any, allocated to date under the measures proposed by the ministerial task force to reduce demand for drugs; and the assessment, if any, carried out of the projects proposed in the designated areas. [15191/98]

25 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the funding, if any, allocated to date under the measures proposed by the ministerial task force to reduce demand for drugs; and the assessment, if any, carried out of the projects proposed in the designated areas. [15194/98]

27 Mr. Browne (Carlow/Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the funding, if any, allocated to date under the measures proposed by the ministerial task force to reduce demand for drugs; and the assessment, if any, carried out of the projects proposed in the designated areas. [15195/98]

52 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the funding, if any, allocated to date under the measures proposed by the ministerial task force to reduce demand for drugs; and the assessment, if any, carried out of the projects proposed in the designated areas. [15193/98]

55 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the funding, if any, allocated to date under the measures proposed by the ministerial task force to reduce demand for drugs; and the assessment, if any, carried out of the projects proposed in the designated areas. [15192/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 25, 27, 52 and 55 together.

Under the national drugs strategy, the Government has allocated £10 million towards the implementation of the action plans prepared by the 13 local drugs task forces, 12 in Dublin and one in north Cork city, to respond to the problem of drug demand in those areas where drug misuse is most prevalent

Under a separate initiative, the Government has allocated £30 million over the next three years to the young people's facilities and services fund, of which £20 million will be directed at the 13 task force areas to support a variety of capital projects, including sport and recreational facilities, and non-capital projects. Local development groups consisting of representatives of the local drugs task forces, the vocational education committees and the local authorities, are being set up in the 13 task force areas to prepare integrated plans. These plans will be submitted, by the end of September, via the local drugs task forces to an assessment committee, chaired by my Department, which will assess the plans and make recommendations in relation to the allocation of funding to the Cabinet subcommittee on social inclusion and drugs.