Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and I commend her and her officials on the work they have done on this legislation. I agree with previous speakers that even though it is good, it only represents a small part in addressing a huge problem. Going forward, I would like funding to be invested in the education sector, particularly primary schools, because drug abuse is affecting people at a younger age. If we got into national schools and highlighted the effects of drugs, it would help. There seems to be an acceptance about people using drugs, which was not the case when I was young. When I was young, if one had a few pints one was considered to be cool or in the gang or whatever but, unfortunately, drug abuse is affecting people at a younger age. It used to be a Dublin problem but now it is rife everywhere. The Minister of State has done well, but this is only a drop in the ocean.