Taoiseach Bertie Ahern does not believe we have a serious drugs problem. He is wrong. This Government is in denial about a social cancer that is destroying the lives of thousands and threatening the potential of many more. With a general election in sight, his response is understandable. But it is not acceptable. The defence - that statistics drawn from The State of the Nation's Children report are four years old - simply reflects the bankruptcy of his position.
The Government has, as Mr Ahern pointed out, devoted a considerable amount of public money to the development of sporting and recreational facilities for young people. It drew up a National Drugs Strategy in 1999. And it has employed youth workers and regional drugs teams. But, unfortunately, those measures have not been sufficient to stem the tide of drug-taking and alcohol abuse among our young people. The growing number of drug seizures, along with anecdotal evidence from cities, towns and villages throughout the State, would suggest the situation has worsened considerably since 2003.
The figures that we have are damning. Four out of 10 children under the age of 15 reported they had used illicit drugs. And one in 10 had sampled a drug more dangerous than marijuana. Such activity does not, of course, make them addicts. But it does reflect the general availability of drugs and the dangerously complacent attitude of their peer groups. Of the 36 countries surveyed, Ireland was ranked third in terms of drug experimentation by this age group. Young Irish girls came first.
The situation is worse in terms of alcohol abuse. Six out of 10 young people acknowledged they had engaged in binge drinking within the previous month. There was no difference between the drinking behaviour of boys and girls. We have the third worst problem in the developed world. One consequence is that most of the 15,500 youth referrals to the Garda Juvenile Diversion programme in 2005 involved alcohol-related offences.
Ireland has the highest ratio of children under 18 years of age within the European Union. That brings problems. And the Government has made progress in tackling child poverty and housing needs. But key areas, such as primary schooling, should receive greater priority. One in seven urban children are absent from school for more than 20 days in the year, double the percentage of their rural counterparts. In spite of that and over-crowded classrooms, literacy rates are still high by international standards. It shows what could be achieved.
There are other positive elements. Our children take more exercise than in most other countries. They find it easier to talk to their parents. And they have lots of friends. The most glaring inadequacy is a lack of youth facilities. We need more youth clubs, sports halls and drop-in centres where young people can meet their friends in comfort and safety, away from the malign influence of drugs.