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

Deputy Ward has laid out Sinn Féin's support for all of the recommendations of the citizens' assembly. I do not know how many times I have spoken in the Dáil about decriminalisation, a health-led approach and the fact that the war on drugs, this farce we have all engaged with internationally, has not worked in any way, shape or form. What I was talking about was my absolute frustration regarding the issues the witnesses deal with. We all see the work that is done. As regards the drugs court, if it is accepted that somebody has an underlying addiction, let us lead with that. Anything that gives them a roadmap to something that removes their addiction or even into harm reduction helps everyone from a societal perspective. Who would not be in support of that?

Beyond that, I have always said that the issues we are dealing with here are caused by poverty and multigenerational trauma. If we are really serious we should introduce those family supports and community interventions long before anybody falls into the court's track. We do not need to do just one thing. This does not stop us going down the road of decriminalisation, however. I am not sure where that conspiracy has come from. Any-----