Deputy Jonathan O'Brien: There is a growing problem with drugs and crime in Cork city. Deputy Micheál Martin and the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, will be well aware of this, along with all other Deputies and councillors who represent the city. On one hand, there are significant gaps in the drug addiction services being provided while, on the other hand, there is a lack of gardaí. We have been hit with a double whammy and the situation is reaching a crisis point. This crisis has seen drug paraphernalia and used needles being found in schoolyards and residential areas to such a degree that a young child recently picked up a bag of heroin from the garden of his home.

Government policy has been moving away from addressing this issue as a criminal justice matter and towards seeing it as a healthcare issue. I recognise that. I have also spoken to many of the service providers within the city. They tell me that the issue is not so much about financial resources - they recognise that money is being provided and that they have capacity - but about the recruitment of staff, a similar issue to that raised in the previous question to the Taoiseach. Services in our city are in an absolute state because they cannot recruit staff as a result of the embargo. There are posts that have been waiting to be filled since last February. The failure to fill those posts has unfortunately resulted in services being stepped down. The only victims in this situation are the addicts who are crying out for these services.