Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support this amendment as well because it is important that our system has better powers to deal with these people. They were giving us two thumbs up from abroad and doing practically whatever they liked. They took the view that they were untouchable in certain countries. I am unsure how far this will extend or whether those in other countries can still evade our laws and operate criminal rackets from afar.

This is important. There are drugs coming in around our shores. We must congratulate the Garda on the great work done and for much of the apprehending of people caught bringing drugs. People are serving time in many cases. However, the problem remains because of the people who put drivers into lorries or who have people take the drugs or whatever. The real managers and bosses are still evading conviction in this country because the law was not good enough to deal with them. I hope this amendment will deal with these people. It hurts me when I see young people who started out well in life but lost their way because of drugs being readily available. Perhaps when their defences were down a little they started using drugs. These monsters or predators enticed such people into what I would call a desperate disease whereby they developed a craving for drugs. Not alone does it upset the person concerned, it upsets partners, children, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. It brings them to a new kind of low that they thought they would never encounter in their families. When one person in the family is affected, it affects the rest of the family as well as friends and members of small communities.

I support the amendment. I am supportive of any way that we can deal with these villains in a stronger fashion.

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