791 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will give details of the recent allocation of additional funding to the drugs task force areas; the way in which individual clubs and organisations can apply for this funding; the criteria specified in relation to eligibility; the contact person and address with regard to applications from groups in the Dublin North East Drugs Task Force area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17629/99]

Following an independent evaluation and review of the operation of the local drugs task forces, the Cabi net Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs has approved the continuation of the task forces for a further two year period. An additional allocation of £15 million has been made over the period 2000-2001 to enable the task forces to update their existing action plans, as well as to address issues which need to be tackled on a cross-task force basis.

A sum of £10 million was made available to support the implementation of the existing plans, on foot of which over 200 community-based initiatives received funding to respond to the drug problem in their areas, under the themes of education, prevention, treatment, after care, rehabilitation and reducing supply. These initiatives were designed to complement and add value to the existing drug programmes and services of the State agencies.

The task forces will prepare their updated plans in accordance with guidelines which were prepared by the national drugs strategy team and approved by the Cabinet committee. The plans are expected to profile the nature and extent of the drug problem in the task force areas, along with the drug programmes and services which are in place or planned to tackle that problem, and to make prioritised proposals to address any gaps identified in current or planned service provision.

The guidelines point out the importance of affording local communities an opportunity of inputting into the planning and development of the proposals which will be funded through the new plans, so that they can take ownership of the various initiatives once they commence. In view of this, the task forces have been requested to engage in a widespread process of public consultation in preparing their new plans. This process will involve inviting proposals from local groups and organisations, under the themes outlined above.

It will be a matter for the local drugs task forces to determine the proposals for inclusion in their updated plans, based on their assessment of the needs of their areas and the guidelines issued by the national drugs strategy team. The plans will be assessed by the team against the criteria set out in the guidelines, following which it will make recommendations to the Cabinet committee regarding the level of funding to be allocated to each task force to implement its plan.