Mr. Paul Reid:

I cannot comment on An Garda Síochána or the details in the parliamentary question, PQ. Was it its response to the PQ? I am not quoting verbatim but Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly was presenting yesterday and he made the point that many of the figures quoted, relating to the approximately 17,000, were not just for possession but also other criminal activity for which they were put forward for conviction. All I can go on is the presentations we had from the Garda Síochána to the assembly. It was consistent in its view and clear on both presentations. It did not want to move to a legalised model. As chair, I pushed it on what its view was on a decriminalisation model. I would not be very clear on what that is or whether it would prefer the status quo. I know the assistant commissioner said yesterday at the presentations that the Garda Síochána would be in favour of a health-led approach. At our citizens' assembly meetings, it certainly came across to us that the status quo was the preferred model.