Mr. Tony Duffin:

That came up a little while ago. It is not a waste of resources in the sense that the State wants to have a response to drug use. Under decriminalisation, it will not be legalised, regulated or controlled and it seems to me that the State wants to have a response to that situation. What we are working towards is an assessment. The diversion takes place when a person comes to the attention of An Garda Síochána under section 3. The diversion takes place, a brief assessment is carried out and, for many people, that is where it ends as they do not have a problem with drugs. They are given advice and that is pretty much the end of it. Others are offered treatment but it is not compulsory. It is offered to them every time something like that happens. The important piece here is that it is a diversion. If people do not engage with the diversion process, they will probably find themselves in front of a court. If people engage with diversion, that will probably be the end of it.