Last week, I spoke about the drug-related intimidation and violence engagement, DRIVE, initiative. In the few days since then, I have been contacted by a number of families. Even on the way in this morning, I was contacted by a family whose son has got into addiction, which has brought chaos on the family. They have already paid out €60,000 to criminals who are putting them under pressure. I spoke about the DRIVE programme, which I know it must be appropriate, cost-effective and realistic but it definitely needs better funding. Families are suffering in Ireland. DRIVE was designed to intervene early to support families and break the cycle of intimidation that we are seeing. Despite the anecdotal evidence I am seeing and the information available, a lot of lip service is being paid to this issue. I know the Garda is gathering intelligence and doing its best, but there are not enough prosecutions. Many gardaí on the front line of this issue feel they are only paying lip service to the families. That needs to stop.

We need to get to those who are making threats. We need to get them before the courts. Families deserve to see justice, not just reports and meetings. Two years have passed since I launched the DRIVE initiative in my area, yet we are not seeing the prosecutions. The intimidation the families face is criminal and coercive, and it needs to be treated as such. The Government needs to commit more resourcing to DRIVE nationally. Communities and families cannot wait. We need an urgent debate with the Minister for justice on this matter. We must send a strong message from the Oireachtas that drug debt intimidation will not be tolerated and it will be challenged.