James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this Fianna Fáil motion on the very serious and debilitating issue of drugs and our drug problem and compliment my colleague, Deputy John Curran, on bringing it forward. The number of gardaí committed to drug units across the country has fallen significantly since 2011, and this is having a very real impact on enforcement. Extra resources are badly needed. In Rosslare Europort, in my county of Wexford, drug seizures are a regular occurrence. Additional gardaí are needed to deal with this scourge. It also highlights the vulnerabilities around our country. Rosslare Europort still bases its activities on paper. It shows the weakness in our justice system, port system and enforcement system that the second-busiest passenger port in the country still operates on a paper-based system. It is totally unacceptable because, as I understand it, it really impacts our ability to enforce our borders in terms of drug importation. It is a real vulnerability.

I also wish to touch on the issue of dual diagnosis and mental health. There is a real issue in this country of a lack of understanding of drugs and mental health issues and the links between them. Research has shown that there is a very serious connection between substance abuse and mental health issues, but this country is simply not taking that matter seriously and not protecting the most vulnerable people who are addicted to drugs.

I will hand over to Deputy Butler.

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