Mr. Marcus Keane:

To build on what other people were saying, it is important to make a broad policy decision about whether criminalisation of simple possession is the correct way to continue or whether it should be dealt with under a health framework. That broad decision to move from one policy area to another would be the starting point. Obviously, we are very much in favour of moving it to health. In doing that, it is important to consider what the legal position in Ireland currently is: the possession of drugs that are scheduled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 is a criminal offence. The 2010 Act relating to new psychoactive substances does not criminalise simple possession of those substances, so it is not as if it is a major shift in that regard. The simple possession of certain substances is not criminalised.