Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

A draft Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations, which will amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1988, was prepared in my Department following a consultation which took place with a wide range of stakeholders during late summer and autumn 2012. Amendments proposed include the introduction of measures to address the problem of the illicit trading and supply of benzodiazepines and z-drugs, which are prescription medicines, and other updates to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations. The proposed draft regulations constitute a major amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations.

In order to obtain input from stakeholders and interested parties on the text of these draft regulations prepared following the 2012 consultation, a further consultation process was carried out during the summer. The proposed amending text and an explanatory document were published on my Department's website, inviting written submissions. The deadline for submissions was Friday, 6 September 2013. More than 90 such submissions have been received and are currently being reviewed by my Department.

Arising from the consultation process, the Draft Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations will be submitted to Government seeking the Government's approval to notify the draft regulations to the EU Commission and member states under the technical standards directive. At the end of the three month EU notification period, the Government's approval will be sought to make the relevant orders.

It is anticipated that the new regulations will be introduced early next year.

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