Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

While I already did so in the Chamber earlier, I wish the new Minister of State every good luck in the years ahead. I wish him all types of success and hope he will be successful in an extremely difficult, demanding and tough role. I really mean this and wish him good luck. I sincerely thank the Technical Group. This is an unusual situation in that I appreciate the great work done by Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan and am thankful to the Technical Group for allowing me time even though its members did not know I am not fully in support of the motion before the House this evening. Their willingness to give time to a person who does not support fully the motion demonstrates just how open and understanding they are.

I have a number of issues and I wish to use the time allocated to highlight my concerns. First, if one considers our history regarding the abuse of substances, one must acknowledge our experience nationally with alcohol, for instance, is not good. If one takes the motion's call to "prioritise addition as a health issue and not primarily as a criminal issue and ensure the necessary allocation of resources" and to "open the debate on decriminalisation of illegal drugs and safer consumption", I must reiterate that as a nation, our record with regard to consumption is not good. This is the reason I genuinely cannot fully support this motion. As for decriminalising some of the drugs that are illegal at present, it could make it easier. I acknowledge great arguments can be made on both sides and I listened attentively to previous speakers but when it comes to maintaining addictions, it could result in it being easier for people to sell drugs that would then be classified as being legal. Moreover, selling such drugs over the counter could lead to a false notion that consumption of such drugs was safe. It could mislead drug users and, in particular, young people into thinking that if it is legal, it must be okay. When one considers cigarettes, for instance, it is perfectly legal to buy cigarettes over the counter but at the same time, there is a massive industry in the illegal sale of cigarettes at present.

I am not convinced and that is why I am more inclined to side with what I am hearing from the Government on this issue than with what is being proposed in the motion. I have real concerns and even though Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan is motivated for all the right reasons, it is just we do not always agree on everything at all times.

I return to the damage being caused by drugs. It is a major problem facing the Government and all of us, and should be our top priority. The incidence of suicide is very high in the country and I believe many suicides are as a result of poly-drug use, which is in the majority of cases illegal drugs or even legal drugs being taken in conjunction with alcohol. I believe this is a contributory factor to the enormous increase in the incidence of suicide. From our constituencies and from being involved with communities and knowing so many people, sadly we all recognise the enormous increase in the incidence of suicide. This wreaks devastation upon families, parents, children and neighbours. Communities are being torn asunder from this. There is not a family, townland, village or town that is not affected by suicide on a regular basis, which is terribly sad.

It is incumbent on the Government and all of us to ensure we do everything we can to tackle illegal drug use. I have reservations about opening the debate on decriminalising some illegal drugs on the basis that it might allow for safer consumption. I am not convinced of that argument which is why I am not in a position to support the motion before us tonight. The Government should be concentrating on sorting out the existing addiction problems we have such as alcohol rather than making other substances legally available. I do not believe the timing is right for that at present. It is no harm to have tonight's debate on the floor of the House allowing everybody to make contributions. Whether for or against, everybody's contribution is valuable and important. We need to get the message from both Government and Opposition that we are serious about taking on the crime lords who are wreaking such havoc. Because of their greed for money they are willing to take people's lives and tear lives asunder by importing and making freely available illegal drugs on the streets of our towns and villages.

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