Vol. 537 No. 5
507 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if, further to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 153 of 10 May 2001, he will make documents (details supplied) relating to this application for a drugs resource centre in Dublin 12 and referred to in his reply available. [16705/01]
The documents referred to by the Deputy are held by the local drugs task force and not by my Department and, accordingly, I am not in a position to supply them. The Dublin 12 Local Drugs Task Force can be contacted by telephoning Ms Sheila Stone at 01-6206422 or by letter at Cherry Orchard Hospital, Dublin 10.
508 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the job description for public representatives who sit on local drugs task forces; and if it is their responsibility to organise public consultation on specific projects planned by the officials of the local drugs task force. [16706/01]
The composition of local drugs task forces reflects the need to ensure the development of a locally-based response that complements existing or planned drug programmes and services.
Each task force has a chairperson and a co-ordinator as well as members from the statutory, community and voluntary sectors and elected representatives. Together and individually they can play a significant part in winning support in the local communities for the strategies being pursued by the task forces, overcoming misapprehensions and fears around the provision of drug programmes and services in their areas. Representatives who are nominated to the task forces are expected to liaise with and encourage other elected representatives in their areas to support the work of the task forces.
