At the Public Accounts Committee, local Coolock Labour Deputy Tommy Broughan has slammed the government for slashing funding for a critical anti-drugs programme sponsored by the Moatview/Fairfield Development Association, Priorswood, Dublin 17.

Deputy Broughan has long supported the outstanding work of the Moatview Fairfield Development Association led by Mr. John Curry and Mr. Larry Byrne and their sponsorship of the Rehabilitation and Support Programme (RASP) which addresses drug and alcohol misuse in the local North Coolock community.

The RASP Project was mainstreamed in 2000 and receives funding of €200,000 per annum. Deputy Broughan has been informed by Mr. John Curry that the Department of Education (which funds the programme) is reducing funding to just €134,000 in 2010 and incredibly will completely axe funding for this essential scheme in 2011.

"This in effect means that the Fianna Fail/ Green government will close down this essential community drug treatment and rehabilitation programme in 2011", said Deputy Broughan. "The RASP project at Old Belcamp Lane, Dublin 17 provides critical community services and will leave very vulnerable citizens at the mercy of drug dealers and will potentially result in the relapsing of many clients of the programme. It is appalling that citizens who are trying to turn their lives around and get themselves off drugs will have nowhere to turn for help and support. It has also been estimated that every €1 spent on anti-drug programmes saves the state €3 in terms of health and justice costs. "

Deputy Broughan has immediately contacted Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Educaton and Science Minister Batt O’Keefe and asked them to urgently reverse this savage cutback. At the Public Accounts Committee this morning, Ms. Kathleen Stack of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (which is responsible for the National Drugs Strategy) informed Deputy Broughan that the Department of Education and Science had not consulted her department in relation to this savage cutback. Ms. Stack said that 34 RASP programmes in all are facing the axe nationwide.