Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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We are asking people to support legislation which allows people to bring drugs bought illegally into premises - it could be literally outside the door of these premises - under certain circumstances with no obligation that the person using the drugs inside engage in any form of rehabilitation. In most other similar legislation, we spend most of our time helping people caught up in the dreadful position of being drug takers and drug addicts. In my constituency, down the road from my constituency office, is a methadone centre, over which I came under pressure for years because the constituents did not like it. However, I recognised that it was an attempt to get people off hard drugs. It is still in operation and I will continue to support it. I do not have a problem helping people who take drugs with this dreadful problem. I do have a problem with the fact that we are now as a State closing our eyes to drugs sold illegally on the street being brought into premises to be used in those premises, which are under the care and responsibility of the State, and that there would be no obligation on the user to engage in any form of rehabilitation on that premises. There is nothing in the legislation which states that these people should engage, or even be encouraged to engage, in a form of rehabilitation.

A very serious step has been taken in proposing legislation that the State get involved in this regard. It would be different if it were a private matter, but it is proposed that the State set up these premises and take responsibility for them and that the taxpayer pay for them. This is not just Deputy Seán Barrett trying to be awkward; it is a very serious situation, as far as I am concerned. I am not suggesting for one minute that we should not do everything we possibly can to help people caught up in this situation. However, we have an obligation when passing legislation that it can stand up to scrutiny. As lawmakers, we cannot turn a blind eye to drugs sold illegally being brought into premises run by the State and used in those premises and pretend it is legal without any suggestion of rehabilitation. At the very least, the Bill should be brought back to Report Stage after 12 months to whoever is in these Houses to examine what exactly has occurred after these measures have come into play. There is not yet any provision in the Bill for this. I ask the Chairman for his indulgence in respect of my comments. As I said, I would have made these points earlier, only that I was out sick when my Second Stage slot was available. I am availing of the opportunity to speak now because this is a terribly serious matter. I have been in this House since 1981 and I do not ever remember legislation being brought into the House for Members to pass which would in effect turn a blind eye to the sale of illegal drugs and provide for a premises in which those illegal drugs could be taken without any suggestion of help for the people taking the drugs. That is the point I wish to stress.