Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleague, Deputy John Curran, on bringing this motion forward. Substance misuse and, in this instance, drug abuse is a very complex issue. It affects not only the individuals who take the drugs but it also affects the people around them and the communities that are hugely impacted by drug abuse. Drugs are available everywhere. Drug abuse knows no socio-economic section of society and knows no class. Drugs are available on street corners, outside our schools and, in some cases, inside our schools, and on the Internet. They are available absolutely everywhere. Sadly, the age at which young people start to take drugs is lowering all the time. This is shocking. The use of young people as runners by drug gangs is frightening. The consequences of drug use is devastating, from people who take overdoses to the effects of drug use. For many people taking drugs can lead to a lifetime in mental health services. The impact of drug use is huge on family and friends. I have no doubt that we have all come across families who have been threatened, whose homes have been burned or who have been blackmailed for money owed by their sons, daughters or siblings to their dealers. Drug use leads to anti-social behaviour and to crime, directly and indirectly. Much more needs to be done. We have to tackle our crippling drug problem and we need major reform in our approach. There has been a fall in Garda drug personnel and investment in our drugs task forces has also stagnated. The last round of HSE funding for this area was very disappointing. In an unprecedented move nine former Ministers of State with responsibility for drugs came together last week to tell us as a society and those of us in the Oireachtas that we need to wake up and take urgent action. The issue is phenomenal and huge. We need to listen to that.

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