A chairde,
I am delighted to be here with you this evening in the Institute of Technology, Tallaght, to present certificates to the Graduates of the Addiction Studies Course. Three years ago I was here in my capacity as Minister of State, and I am glad to be back again, this time as the Minister with responsibility for Drugs. Thank you for your kind invitation to attend.
Over the last 14 years Community Addiction Studies Tallaght has achieved huge success in up-skilling people in the community on the issues surrounding drugs and addiction and it is obvious that there continues to be a strong demand for the course from individuals, communities and organisations in the area. I am impressed with the depth of knowledge among the community in the area of addiction and I am confident that courses such as CAST will continue to develop this knowledge in the future.
Delivery of the course, which covers a wide range of issues such as the effects of drugs, associated diseases, treatments, education and prevention, is underpinned by Adult Education Principles and this approach is a most effective method of engaging people.
The knowledge you gain from your participation will provide a valuable resource to the communities where you live and work. I cannot stress enough how vital it is that we as a people continue to increase our awareness of the negative effects that drugs and addiction can have on our society.
In this context, I would like to draw your attention to the work of the GAA in the drugs area. On March 27th last, I launched the GAA’s First Conference on its Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Programme in Croke Park.
This Programme is an all-island initiative which was introduced in 2005 with the aim of reducing the harm that is being caused by alcohol and drugs. Drug and Alcohol Policies are being put in place in all GAA clubs and these assist ASAP Officers in providing education on the effects of drug and alcohol misuse, as well as providing guidance on how to effectively respond to any drug and alcohol-related incidents that arise.
Prevention, as you all know, is one of the key pillars of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 and the work of the ASAP Programme in the GAA will help to promote healthier lifestyle choices among our youth. I would like to see similar programmes being rolled out in communities around the country.
Problems of addiction, in whatever form, continue to be among the most significant challenges facing our country, and countries internationally. They can have devastating effects on individuals, relationships, families and wider communities. In order to combat this, we must all endeavour to equip ourselves with the skills and knowledge necessary to help our young people to make informed choices about their health and their future – choices that will include the rejection of drug and alcohol misuse.
I am sure all of you here tonight are aware that my Department together with the Department of Health & Children are jointly developing proposals for a National Substance Misuse Strategy that will combine the approaches to alcohol and drugs. This is something that I have advocated for some time and I look forward to proposals going to Government on the matter by the end of the year. I am also looking forward to re-engaging with the various groups and agencies working in this area over the coming months as we implement the new National Drugs Strategy.
I am very impressed with the range of services being delivered here in Tallaght and supported by the Tallaght Local Drugs Task Force. I would especially like to mention the CARP Killinarden Cocaine Pilot which is a dedicated cocaine service that includes one-to-one support, counselling and advocacy. Since its establishment in 2005 this Project has been supported by my Department and it continues to be a great success. Being the first group to try something is always difficult, but Tallaght can be justly proud of what they have achieved.
On that note I would like to speak briefly about the so called “recreational” use of cocaine which continues to be a problem in our society. All of us here this evening know how vital it is that the consequences of such usage for communities and for wider society are clearly brought home to those who see their use of the drug as a purely private matter. Hopefully the knowledge you have gained on your course will allow you to get this message across in the future.
I would also like to mention Headshops – no doubt you are all aware of the recent controls passed by Government countering the threat of psychoactive substances sold in these establishments. I am delighted that this crucial regulation has come into effect and that these dangerous products are recognised as such. Further legislation is planned, and you may be assured that the issue will continue to be closely monitored by this Government.
All that being said, we are here this evening to celebrate the achievements of those of you who are graduating. I commend you for your commitment to this course – it can be difficult to take time out of your busy lives and to commit to furthering your education and your understanding of the drugs issue.
Congratulations to you all on completing the course and I wish you well in your future endeavours.
Finally I would like to thank all those associated with this evening’s event:
The steering committee for their efforts in helping to get this course underway every year;
- The hosts, the Institute of Technology here in Tallaght;
- And also to Alice Murray, Killinarden Drug Primary Prevention Group and Liam O’Brien, Community Addiction Response Programme (CARP) for all their hard work as co-facilitators of this course.
I will now proceed with the presentation of certificates.
Go raibh maith agaibh.
