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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

supports and coordinated Garda and community interventions; — introduce dedicated community safety investment programmes in areas experiencing persistent drug dealing and intimidation, including additional community Gardaí, improved public spaces, youth facilities, sporting amenities and community-based services; — provide immediate and practical protection for families targeted by drug gangs, including … social exclusion and to expand access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, sport, recreation and community development opportunities. Tá daoine feargach. Tá daoine scanraithe. Caithfidh na gardaí dul i ngleic go dian leis na dronganna drugaí. Drug debt intimidation is destroying lives. It is leaving individuals and families living

Síochána is absolutely crazy. We need a policy change, and the Government needs to be brave about it. I raise the volume of drug-induced deaths purely because people are often so helpless that they will not seek help. That is the bottom line. There is a stigma … addicted to cocaine because of a lifestyle choice. In many cases these are middle class people who are purchasing this drug. I say as Chair of the sports committee that collectively as a society and all sporting organisations need to say enough is enough because

happens not far from where we are sitting and standing. It happens everywhere. That is how prevalent drug use is in this country. It is in every community and sporting organisation. It is everywhere. I do not believe that we realise, or are acting to, the scale … take cocaine and other serious drugs. It is simply not okay. However, for some reason, among our middle classes, in particular, it seems to be okay. The Government should lead on the issue. We should ask the powerful large-scale sporting, cultural, industry and agriculture organisations

State knows, drugs are in every community across this country. They are almost in every bar and sports club and even workplaces. Whether people like it or not, drugs are all around us. Some people get away with using them on a recreational basis whereas others

Bill 2021. This would have seen the proceeds of crime reinvested into communities to build resilience through our drug task forces, family resource centres, youth diversion projects, unemployment services, sports clubs and anybody involved in working in a disadvantaged area. In response to this, the Government, in fairness … mini-Criminal Assets Bureau should be established in the areas worst affected by low- to mid-level criminals, particularly those in the drug trade. Drug debt intimidation of families is rife in working class areas. I have been calling for a local mini-CAB to take the local

future and in the next generation. When we consider the many issues in terms of drug and alcohol misuse and screen use, we see the value of investment in sport and the fun, joy and satisfaction it brings to people. We also see the traits it imparts

issue, is now in every corner of this country. In every small village, every rural area and every small town in this country, drug addiction is an issue. There is absolutely no doubt about that and it is communities that are being affected … committee chair, will lead on this because we have to have a discussion in our sports clubs about addiction. Too many of our athletes are suffering from drug addiction. It is only when, as another colleague of mine said, you are in a pub, you see it seems

fiscal element involved or whether they need to be banned. A constituent of mine who played sport at a high level was in hospital for a month with a drug-induced psychosis having bought this stuff legally over the counter. While cigarettes are very dangerous, we have

kids up here in Dublin or wherever are focusing on a bit of sport, they are focused away from the bad things that are going on in the world, whether it is the drugs or the drink. That is where we need to spend our money. I support

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

comes to deprivation and crime, low educational attainment and a chronic lack of sporting facilities, which I have spoken about several times in this Chamber. There are also very stark findings with regard to drug deaths and the crime rate, which is twice the national average

other sporting groups on it, but with all of that and the need to tackle the issue, the fact is that the biggest impact is still in disadvantaged, working class areas. We can walk up and down the streets and we will know who the drug dealers

thank the Deputy for his question and, indeed, for his work chairing the drugs committee and the work on its report. I have had an opportunity to read the report. A very significant amount of work went into it. There are 161 recommendations in it. I agree with … very many of them. There are parts in the report that are excellent, especially the section that refers to sports, well-being, combating addiction and trying to divert children through the use of sport. As we all know, sport is the most effective diversion project there

life of crime and a life of drugs. To do that, we need targeted investment, co-ordinated supports and visible policing to restore safety and confidence in our communities. We need investment not just in education but in sports facilities, especially in our inner city. In the south

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

aiming at addressing antisocial behaviour, domestic violence, drug-related intimidation, safety on public transport - a key concern for many people, social exclusion, youth programmes and prison post-release support. Many of those projects focus on the use of education, sport and recreation and social interaction to proactively address

Garda drug units and a comprehensive community policing service. Community gardaí are absolutely invaluable in building up relationships with communities and with individuals within communities. Crucially, they build up a relationship, trust and friendship with young people. They become involved with local activities, youth clubs, sports clubs … gardaí. The community Garda service must be re-established and staffed up to at least the 2010 levels. The small number of Garda drug units and gardaí attached to these units would appear to suggest that the Government is not really taking the whole drug threat seriously. Garda

drugs. They were getting ready cash, which sounds attractive, but which, of course, ruined their lives in the long term. We are working to reincarnate, if you like, the RAPID programme we had in a previous era, which basically prioritised areas in terms of allocations to sporting facilities … sometimes councils will dispose land to clubs of various sporting codes with a view to affirming the importance of the development of sport. I have noticed on my travels around Dublin that there seem to be a lot of restrictive approaches to allowing clubs to fully develop facilities

schools, sporting clubs, youth services and communities. People should have access to counselling, appropriate assessment and continuing support without having to prove that they have reached breaking point. We must also respond to mental health and addiction together. For some people, alcohol and drugs become

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

Ireland, 1,000 people are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancers. The less you drink, the lower your risk. Therefore, any suggested association between sport and alcohol sends the wrong message to children. This link must be broken. According to Alcohol Action Ireland, approximately 50,000 children take … norm rather than the exception in this country, is a known risk factor for later alcohol dependency. In fact, the Irish drug and alcohol survey found that 37% of 15- to 24-year-olds had an alcohol use disorder. This should be setting off alarm bells. We also

parent." This event will provide information on HHC and is designed to support parents and guardians who are concerned about vaping and emerging drug trends among young people. It will also provide information on prevention strategies and discuss the role of parents in guiding healthy decisions. These … programmes targeted specifically at children on the dangers of vaping and nicotine use and that can be controlled nationwide and run through sports and youth clubs and local authorities. I will give an example. In my own area, I attended the launch of the Not Around Us campaign

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

Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Finance if he would consider allowing gym membership, or indeed any sporting membership, to be made tax deductible in the same way weight loss drugs are tax deductible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10985/25