Dáil debates

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

5:20 pm

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I dealt with this before Deputy Adams came into the Chamber. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Government have done a great deal of work in respect of rough sleepers and homelessness in general. The HAP, housing assistance payment, regulations have been changed, along with proposals for modular housing, the return of voided units to habitable condition, targets set and moneys put in place with regard to over 200 sites opened around the country for social housing to deal with the fundamental issue of housing supply. The Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government are talking about several other immediate responses, as well as medium and long-term proposals. I hope they can conclude these discussions this week. If legislation is necessary out of that, the Government will obviously give it consideration. I will come back to the Deputy on the work that follows through in respect of the motion passed on Palestine and what it actually means.

The misuse of drugs (amendment) (no. 2) Bill is due for next year. However, there is a court case, the outcome of which I cannot determine, which may have a bearing on when this particular legislation may apply. We cannot do anything about it until that decision is made by the courts. The matter of legalising small quantities of heroin has not been discussed at Cabinet. In the past, there was reference to the supervision of needles for drug users but the question of the legalisation of small quantities of heroin for personal use has not been discussed.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.