Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 10 October 2024

Committee on Drugs Use

A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed)

9:30 am

Mr. Tony Duffin:

This time last year, the citizens' assembly produced its findings, having gone through seven months of deliberations with 99 members and Mr. Paul Reid as the chair, with stakeholders coming in. We are not going to see another consultation like that with the community regarding what needs to be done and what is acceptable to the community. We have asked a cross-section of society. That is what we need to do. To go back to the question on whether we will need funding, of course we will need funding for the recommendations of the citizens' assembly, as Ms Foley pointed out.

As for the big picture and what we should do, we should implement the 36 recommendations and fund them fully. That is it.