Deputy Dessie Ellis: Local communities, local drug task forces and An Garda Síochána are reporting a huge surge in the use of crack cocaine in communities. Local drug task forces are struggling to deal with this surge and are having to turn people with addictions away from their services due to a lack of funding and a loss of personnel. This crisis in employment in the task forces is because vital personnel are more attracted to the better pay and conditions, and job security, offered by the HSE. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. What plans does the Government have to deal with these important matters?

Tánaiste ( Micheál Martin): I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is a matter of concern and I will revert to the Ministers for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and Finance in respect of what we can do to support the task forces and what route we can take to provide resources to enable them to retain staff.

Deputy Mark Ward: Front-line community drug services are having to turn people away due to the lack of funding. Those concerned have said services are now on life support. I was present for the pre-budget submission by the local drug and alcohol task forces yesterday. The name of the submission is "Services on a Shoestring", and that says it all. The services face a huge increase in demand. I have worked in front-line community addiction services and have been a director of the Clondalkin Drug and Alcohol Task Force, so I know at first hand how critical funding is.

I will be a little critical of the task forces. The demand of the Government was not ambitious enough. Sinn Féin, if in government, would commit an additional €7.2 million to the local drug and alcohol task forces as part of a €45 million package. Will the Government agree to the task forces' modest request of an additional €3 million in funding?

The Tánaiste: I am a very strong believer in the work of the alcohol and drug task forces and I have visited several of them. We will be of a positive disposition in allocating additional funding. An Estimates round is now under way across different Departments, so this is an issue we will prioritise.

Deputy Johnny Guirke:  Over 400 people a year are dying from drug addiction, and 40% of them are women. Tabor House Trust in Navan, County Meath, is involved in a proposal for a secondary addiction centre for women called Misneach, or courage, which it plans to develop on the Slane Road in Navan. The new centre, which will cater for 48 women in recovery from addiction per year, will change the lives of the clients and will lift young children from the pain, trauma, insecurity and chaos of living with addiction. It will be the first centre of its kind in Ireland for women. Tabor House has taken this project as far as it can. It has got planning permission and has acquired the site. The HSE has given the okay for it to cover the day-to-day running costs of the centre. I have written to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding capital funding and he has responded, stating that it is the remit of the Department of Health. Can the Taoiseach follow this up with both Departments to get capital funding approved as soon as possible for this badly needed addiction service? It was reported in newspapers the other day that people are calling out for addiction services across the country. This centre would the first of its kind for women in Ireland.