Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I ask Mr. Walsh to send those figures on when he gets a chance.

The Department is compiling the new national drugs strategy. Given the citizens' assembly's recommendations and the special committee on drug use, how effective will that strategy be in the context of the provision of amending legislation? The soundings thus far from Government are that it will not go near the misuse of drugs legislation with a barge pole. The soundings are that if decriminalisation has to be introduced it must be done in an Irish context and will not go near the existing legislation. It would be a major mistake if that happens. We could be in a cycle talking about the same thing in ten or 20 years' time. One of the recommendations from the special committee on drug use involves repealing section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and looking at regulation in respect of cannabis, which could free up a considerable amount of police time and so forth.