DRUGS BATTLE UNDER REVIEW

SENIOR civil servants today launched an urgent review of Ulster's anti-drugs effort in a bid to clear up confusion over policy at Stormont.

First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon ordered staff to assess the system and to report back on any weaknesses they found.

And key decisions on how Ministers will tackle the scourge are to be discussed at a meeting of the Executive next Tuesday.

Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon took action on the drugs issue after the Belfast Telegraph highlighted concerns among street-level counsellors about delays since devolution.

They feared that the transfer of power had left a vacuum, and there were claims that Health Minister Bairbre De Brun was refusing to chair the key Northern Ireland Central Co-ordinating Group on Drugs because it included a senior RUC officer.

Anti-drugs workers warned that they could lose almost pounds 1m in funding, due to be spent before the end of March.

They are also waiting on decisions to set up new co-ordinating bodies and appoint a Northern Ireland drugs 'czar'.

A spokesperson for the First Minister said: "We want to stress our determination to tackle the problem of drugs in Northern Ireland.

"We recognise that the problem of drugs stretch across many departments and that responsibilities are shared between the Executive and the Northern Ireland Office.

"The question of the machinery to co-ordinate the fight against drugs will be a priority at next Tuesday's Executive meeting.

"A further statement will be made after that meeting.

"In the meantime, officials have been tasked with urgently examining any shortcomings in current arrangements."UDP leader Gary McMichael, who had voiced alarm at the confusion, welcomed the initiative.

He said: "It's extremely important that the disarray in which the Northern Ireland anti-drugs campaign has found itself, because of a lack of leadership and political obstruction, is cleared up.

"I think the most sensible place for the responsibility to lie is with Mr Trimble because of the cross-departmental nature of the problem and the prominence it needs."Meanwhile, an anti-drugs public meeting in Bangor heard a claim that more than 200 people are taking heroin in the North Down area.