James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

On the same subject, the Minister promised to examine this issue and introduce legislation as a matter of urgency. Children are being deleteriously affected by this problem. There have been admissions to psychiatric hospitals and at least one death has occurred. We have also had cases of serious injury caused by people jumping off roofs and so forth. This is a serious issue which must not remain unaddressed. There are two angles to tackling it, namely, the control of substances through the Irish Medicines Board and Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the use of planning laws to put these shops out of business. Head shops are not subject to any planning restrictions and may be established anywhere. This issue should be addressed by our invisible Minister, wherever he is.

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