Deputy Mark Ward: Significant amounts of money have been seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, over the years. The last figure I have since its inception in 1996 is €150 million. I come from an area in Dublin called north Clondalkin that has been disproportionately affected by drug use and drug dealing over the years. I have seen whole families being wiped out. Some of these have been relatives, neighbours and friends of mine over the years.

The money seized by CAB originates from areas like my own in north Clondalkin. Will the Taoiseach make sure the money CAB seizes goes back into providing services in the areas that are most affected by this scourge on society?

Micheál Martin, The Taoiseach: I thank the Deputy for his remarks. I accept the impact of the activities by those who deal in illicit drugs and criminal activity on his community, which CAB has struck at. It is a scourge on our society and on communities up and down the country. We need to have a systemic approach to the allocation of funding to communities that suffer from such activities. By that I mean through the various Departments, we should target resources in a proactive and co-ordinated way through the Exchequer, not necessarily coming from CAB, which will go back in, but through education and dealing with young people and early school leavers in terms of psychological supports and whole social supports, a bit like the RAPID areas of yesteryear. We should restore that type of collective co-ordinated approach on the ground, a bit like the initiative which has been highly effective in the north inner city. We need to take that approach more systematically across the country.