Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise that I was at another event earlier. I will continue on from the Cathaoirleach’s point. I think none of us is too shocked that there is an increase in the number of people who have drugs in their system when stopped at checkpoints or after accidents on the basis there is a huge increase in the number of people taking drugs. When there is a case of GAA motions going to congress in regard to cocaine use, we are fairly sure it is prevalent throughout the community and beyond that. Like many others, I have dealt with a large number of issues in the recent past, including drug debt, intimidation and all the rest. The money would not be in it unless there were a substantial number of people taking drugs.

Let us deal specifically with these tests. We are all looking forward to the day we will have a citizens' assembly on drug use because we need to look at something novel for how we will deal with the entire issue. At the minute we are incapable of dealing with it from a health or policing point of view and we are not able to stop or stem the supply or demand. That is not to take away from the fact that there has to be huge police action on dangerous criminals; that goes without saying. That is my single transferable speech on drugs and I would like to be able to update it in the near future.

I know people have varying views on cannabis but we have heard that what one gets on the street is a hell of a lot stronger than what people would have gotten ten, 20 or 30 years ago. Has the Medical Bureau of Road Safety noticed this among those who have been tested, following an accident for example? Are they much more high than would have previously been the case? I get that drug testing has only been happening lately. I am asking about the potency of the cannabis.