Yesterday in reply to a question, the Taoiseach played down the extent of drug abuse throughout the country. Today I would like to ask him about a report published by UNICEF Report Card 7, Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-being in Rich Countries. This report indicates that 20% of children under 16 smoked cannabis in the past 12 months. I have been dealing with parents, teachers and boards of management for a long time and there is a growing concern about the toll being taken on young people's development by the abuse of drugs and alcohol in a growing number of second level schools. I know this is a matter of concern to the Taoiseach.

Some weeks ago I suggested that where, on a voluntary basis, boards of management, parents and students in particular schools wish to introduce random alcohol and drug testing, the Department of Education and Science should support such a scheme and where necessary provide facilities and counselling support. I have spoken to many teachers who are experiencing increasing difficulties with some pupils, particularly as a result of drink and drugs. In view of the specific reference in the UNICEF report to the abuse of drugs at second level, would the Taoiseach support a voluntary scheme for random drug and alcohol testing in second level schools where teachers, parents and students want such a scheme to be implemented? They would send out the message "in our school, you don't do this".

The point I made yesterday was that the level of drugs is played up when there is much statistical evidence that the national drugs strategy campaign has enjoyed success.

Deputy Kenny is suggesting a voluntary scheme in schools and if we are dealing with minors, the agreement of parents is necessary. If the parents, the board of management and the children agree, however, it is a matter for the board of management to decide, as is the case with any disciplinary code. Any indication that it would be compulsory would lead to difficulties. The Deputy did not say that but when I was asked about this before, I said that if minors were to be asked to undergo any testing, it would have to be done with the agreement of the parents. It is a matter of discipline for the school authorities to agree with the parents.

I asked last week if any reports had been published on this but I could not find any school operating such a system. If the Deputy has information about any school he wants to give me, I will look at it. There are several schemes where schools and boards of management are trying to deal with under age drinking and many of them have disciplinary codes that do not involve random testing but involve checks to monitor and control under age drinking. I could not find any schools checking for drugs.

It is correct that there must be parental consent when dealing with minors. I am talking about a scheme on a voluntary basis where there is agreement from boards of management, parents and students. Several private schools do this and I have looked at the analysis of the facility in Kent which appears to be successful and which is catching on.

In a case where a board of management, parents and students discuss this and say they are happy to have a random alcohol and drug testing programme for the school, will the Department of Education and Science support that process by perhaps supplying the facilities necessary to carry out random testing? If cases are discovered where drugs have gone beyond experimental use, could counselling facilities be provided?

The UNICEF report, in respect of alcohol and cannabis for young people aged 11, 13 and 15, makes the point that regular cannabis use is associated with depression, physical ill health, problems at school and other forms of risk taking. It may also trigger psychosis, especially in young people already prone to such conditions. When schools decide to establish a voluntary programme by agreement with the boards of management, parents and pupils, will the Department of Education and Science support that?

As a rule, anything that helps to curb under age drinking or misuse of drugs in any form would have my support. I do not know the extent to which Deputy Kenny thought this through, although I generally support what he is saying, but he continually mentioned random and voluntary checks. A random check of its nature is not voluntary in the normal way.

Free consent could be given.

If a board of management——

Six or eight pupils in a school could be picked.

The Deputy has made his contribution and should allow the Taoiseach to reply.

If the board of management, the school authorities, the parents and the children agree — in these cases as the children are minors their parents would need to agree — it would be something we would be in support of. However, one would need to clarify how random it would be. Normally in our laws, cases or protocols random and voluntary are two separate things.

It is like selecting Nos. 3, 12 and 13 from the Dublin team.

Yes.

It is like breath testing.

Already in education and community needs there is the rehabilitation for drug misusers, which has become a central part of focus in education. There is a range of available treatments, particularly now the treatment options for cocaine, which is a major problem in some communities. There are the needle exchange programmes, the reduction services, the emerging needs fund that was devised to provide a flexible and community level response regarding drug misuse, and the local drugs task force, which is a very good scheme and is used very effectively. There are now more than 65 community-based projects being funded under the emerging needs fund, which are nearly all helping young people — they are not in schools, but in communities surrounding schools. There is the drugs awareness programme — the initiative by Crosscare — which is partly funded by the Government. It provides invaluable contacts and covers addiction counselling and treatment support around the State. Again it is focused very much on young people of school going age.

There is the health promotion unit, which already publishes a guide for parents on understanding drugs, which is the document the support programme of the Department of Education and Science uses. It is freely available and is accessible on the Internet. It is used by boards of management and schools around the country. It is a good programme. I cannot comment if some private schools are using it. The concept of anything that helps to eliminate and control drugs is one I support.