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healthy impact on people's lives when it comes to the issue of drugs. As part of a whole-of-Oireachtas plan, we should look at how to engage all the major sports organisations to work with each other and with us to put in place a plan … where people said they had spoken at events hosted by sports organisations. They had asked national sporting organisations to engage in a programme to encourage people to say no to drugs and to create a whole brand around this. They have not even received a reply

West. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the controls in place in respect of the sports capital grant programme. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss inclusion of the shingles vaccine in the national immunisation programme, drug payment scheme and medical card scheme. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan - To discuss organised crime

tickets to the cinema, hiring astroturf, hiring sports halls, activity centres and yes, it is the increase in Garda resources and the wraparound services. As has been said, this is about the mental health supports, the youth workers themselves, drug awareness programmes and the Comhairle

parts of the State. In some areas, drug dealers and senior gang members use teenagers on bikes, horses and e-scooters to deliver drugs and receive payments for that. Teenagers are vulnerable to being groomed into the criminal lifestyle. When we consider that 18- to 25-year-olds … many communities where community garda numbers have been decimated by successive Governments. Criminality thrives in areas with deprivation and that lack sports complexes, youth clubs and facilities. The investment we make now in our young people in our communities will pay dividends in the future. We need

paperwork it is necessary to go through is extremely cumbersome for many organisations. We talk in this House about getting people involved in sports, dramas, new types of clubs and new types of energy, and occupying them. Looking at the Icelandic model, which brought down antisocial behaviour from … about taking away boredom and giving people opportunities to do something after hours after school. My colleague, Deputy Paul Lawless, mentioned the drug epidemic. It has not escaped Cork either. We have a situation in Cork where children as young as eight are being used as drug mules

have been mentioned and they are a vital element in this area. They work in the community, become involved with community services, local sports clubs and community organisations. They know families and the young people on the ground and form relationships and friendships with them. They can identify … criminal and antisocial activity. There is an obvious and established link between criminality and poverty, mental health problems, addiction to both alcohol and drugs, as well as domestic violence. I want to refer to the Le Chéile mentoring programme in particular, which is hugely successful and beneficial

assessed and they were let down by the system. Kids believed they stupid because of who they were and it led them to drugs and crime. We have to invest in our special education system as well. I have just come from an emotionally charged meeting … were neurodiverse, to end up institutionalised, but it is our job to make sure they do not end up in jail. Investing in sports facilities, arts programmes and community spaces in working class areas and communicating with our young people can give them a purpose and a sense

they are accompanied by poverty, early school leaving, family instability, exposure to trauma and a lack of access to safe and supportive environments. Drug use among adolescents is not just a health concern; it is often a red flag for deeper distress. Substance use often begins … structured alternatives are lacking, they may find the sense of identity in peer groups where antisocial behaviour is normalised. Youth work, education, sport and community engagement must not just be available but also visible, inclusive and appealing. The Government’s youth strategy and the expansion of the diversion

couple of years, I have seen a number of young people die by suicide, which is absolutely tragic, because of intimidation due to drug debts they had and their families being threatened. We need to be able to work with young people. The youth diversion scheme needs … good for the Garda and good for the community. That is the kind of stuff we need. Whether it is through education, sport, the arts, including music and dance, we need to work with young people to get them away from criminality

Disadvantage is key indicator number one alongside peer pressure, gang influence, lack of positive role models, educational disengagement, substance abuse and the related drug debt that some of my colleagues mentioned, and issues like mental health, family breakdown and general neglect. At the same time, however, irrespective … love to talk about it much longer, but it is about issues of leadership and support in the community and more investment in sports, as others have said. They all make contributions. On the whole, our young people are good, and they need to be encouraged