Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like an answer in regard to the timeline for the citizens' assembly on drugs. Obviously, many in this House and beyond will accept we have a huge drug problem as it relates to addiction, to the lack of services, to criminal gangs and to drug debt intimidation and the huge impact this has on communities and families.

I was shocked the other day when the Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy said he had written to the Taoiseach twice to get a timeline in regard to when the citizens' assembly would happen. I think it is a good idea that we have a citizens' assembly from the point of view that it is sometimes helpful to involve all the stakeholders and experts, and take it outside of this House.

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