David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of this part of the meeting is to have an engagement with some of those who made written submissions to the committee on its review of Ireland's approach to the possession of limited quantities of certain drugs. I ask everybody to turn off all mobile phones or to put them on aeroplane mode as otherwise they interfere with the sound and recording systems here.

In session one today, we are joined by the following: BeLonG To is represented by Mr. David Carroll and Mr. Gerard Roe, who are most welcome and I thank them for giving of their time in being here today; the Dublin North East Drugs Task Force is represented by Mr. Pat Carey, the former Minister and an old buddy of ours, and Mr. Shane Brennan; Students for Sensible Drug Policy Ireland, from DCU, is represented by Mr. Daniel Kirby and Mr. Graham de Barra, and I thank them for being here; the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development, ACJRD, is represented by Ms Maura Butler and Professor Catherine Comiskey with whom we have engaged over the years on many occasions and I thank them for coming in and giving their time; the Irish Penal Reform Trust is represented by Ms Deirdre Malone and Ms Fíona Ní Chinnéide, and they are most welcome; the Irish Association of Social Workers is represented by Mr. Aidan McGivern and Ms Martina McGovern, whose input will be much appreciated; and Mr. Tony Geoghegan and Ms Denise Casement are here today from Merchant's Quay Ireland and I thank them for coming in to the committee.

I will invite each group to make a five minute presentation giving the committee the main points of their submission. There will be a question and answer session with members, who may be coming and going as there is so much going on today. This will be an interesting session. Members will not make speeches - they should keep them for the Dáil and the Seanad.

Before we begin, witnesses should note that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by it to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and witnesses are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or an entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members are reminded that under the rulings of the Chair, they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite Mr. Carroll from BeLonG To to make his presentation.