Ms Ruby Lawlor:

Absolutely. It is harrowing. Even the fact that we have to debate whether this should happen in the first place is so upsetting when you see the damage it has been doing to communities, young people and the development of their lives. We have a right to employment and to partake in society. Criminalisation does not allow for this. It hinders it. Young people being in contact with the criminal justice system from such a young point in their lives impacts them for the rest of their lives. It has this effect for decades to come. We need to do everything we can to reduce this. Decriminalisation is absolutely the way forward as a first step to move away from doing this to children and young people. We have to stop.