James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is evidence of increasing patient violence against staff, the reason for which according to the staff with whom I have raised this issue is that the type of drugs being misused and abused by patients has changed. For example, 20 years ago they might have been misusing and abusing hashish, marijuana, heroin and benzodiazepines but they are now misusing poly drugs, which means they have moved from drugs which had a docile effect on them to drugs that have an energetic effect on them. Perhaps the witnesses would comment on that issue and also on the level of research here into mental health versus other countries.