Drugs strategy under fire over Elton's cash gift
Elton: Foundation giving cash. Photo: Getty Images
Friday September 11 2009
THE Government has come under fire for accepting €750,000 from pop star Elton John's foundation for a needle exchange project for drug addicts.
The controversy overshadowed the launch of the new National Drugs Strategy for the next six years, which contained a range of new promises and measures.
Junior Minister for Drugs Strategy John Curran announced that Elton John's AIDS Foundation would be providing the funding for an HSE project to roll out needle exchanges for heroin addicts in 65 locations.
But the use of the funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation was criticised by the Merchants Quay Ireland drug treatment group, which said it seemed "a bit odd" to rely on an international charity to implement government priorities.
Mr Curran said this was consistent with the partnership approach at the heart of the National Drugs Strategy.
The new National Drugs Strategy said communities still felt that the availability of drugs was becoming more widespread, despite increases in seizures during the previous 2001-2007 strategy. It has set a target of a 25pc increase in drug seizures and a 25pc in drug dealing arrests by 2016.
But the overall drugs strategy budget is being cut by €4m to €270m due to the state of the public finances. The lion's share is going to the HSE for drug treatment services (€102m), the gardai and customs for enforcement (€59m), the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for drug taskforces (€44m) and FAS for 1,000 community employment jobs for recovering drug addicts (€18m).
- Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
