Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I went to Portugal with the committee recently and it was an eye-opening experience. Like Senator Conway, I had a very firm view about drugs and their use in the public domain, which has changed slightly. I very much welcome the various groups coming in and, in particular their submissions, which I read yesterday. The only outstanding question I have, which was touched on by Senator Conway, concerns what we do next. Clearly, there is a great deal of research that needs to be done. I am conscious of Ms Butler's contribution. I am also conscious of the fact that our report is not empirical. It is based on the observations of the committee members and the clerk to the committee who were present and on a number of documents that were provided to us. The bottom line is that I believe either the Department of Health or the Department of Justice and Equality needs to have a full debate with the Portuguese authorities regarding how we can learn more from their model and put in the services that are there. The only question I have, which is not directed at any one individual, relates to what we do next, aside from promoting or insisting that the Minister for Justice and Equality initiates some kind of cross-departmental approach to this with the Department of Health with a view to compiling more information so that we can take this matter further.