Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the witnesses for being here and helping us with our deliberations. By the time the witnesses interface with the drugs issue, that is with people in full-blown addiction, it is way down the road and at its most challenging point for the individual.

I thank the witnesses for the offer to visit the court and we want to take that up as soon as possible. I am really interested to understand in greater detail the operations of it.

The review sounds timely, if not a long time overdue, to understand how the model could potentially be expanded. I am also struck by fact of the roughly 700 individuals who have come through the courts in the time. The witnesses do not have to answer this question now, it is something we can talk about when we visit. Is there any scope or facility for those who have already come through the court to help inform and feed back to our deliberations as a committee about their experience, not just of the courts, but of the whole life cycle of drug use, addiction, recovery or if they continue to struggle? Will the witnesses think about that?

I was really struck by Mr. Duffin's comments about the use of drugs in public spaces. He is absolutely right about the consumption rooms. It has been for more than a decade that the consumption room on the quays was debated back and forth and thankfully it will open but the pace is just glacial. Meanwhile there is the human cost for the individual and broader society. I am significantly persuaded by the mobile option. We cannot get planning permission for apartments or homes in Dublin so getting planning permission for consumption rooms is a significantly greater challenge.

I am thinking from Mr. Duffin's experience, as a committee we are looking at diversion and decriminalisation. Regulation and legalisation would ultimately be needed but I think everybody on the committee is convinced of a significant and comprehensive health-led approach. A significant resourcing of statutory and non-statutory organisations would be required to make that a reality. I think it is there in practice and informally but there is nothing near the resources required. I am interested in Mr. Duffin's perspectives on what, if anything, would be more effective at the various earliest stages in terms of diversion?

The other question for Mr. Duffin is about public consumption and the use of drugs in public spaces. Deputy McAuliffe articulated the fears of communities very well. It is a sad conclusion to come to but it is the reality that a lot of communities look at problematic drug use and consumption and see it as the lesser of two evils. It is an individual crisis or catastrophe versus the whole of the community.

While the local authorities and Garda may police the consumption of alcohol in public spaces, certainly in the city, we all know open drug consumption and drug dealing is out of control. I am interested to hear the witnesses’ thoughts on whether we as a committee should explore diversion at the earliest stages. What more could be done with regard to management in public spaces?