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

This legislation is straightforward and there is widespread support for the idea behind it. We also welcome the Government's idea of a community safety innovation fund.

We have been dealing with a drugs pandemic for a considerable time. While it may impact across society, it particularly affects working-class areas, such as those in my own area in Dundalk. In the past fortnight, I have been dealing with issues regarding drug debt intimidation. I must commend the work of the Garda in this regard. This legislation is supported by the Garda chief superintendent in Louth, Christy Mangan, who has spoken in the media before of his fear of losing a generation to cocaine. Recently, we had raids in Dundalk with €17,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis being seized.

The wider issues related to drugs need to be dealt with outside of the House. We need a citizens' assembly to be established, which is a commitment in the programme for Government. We must ensure the money in question goes to the right places, such as addiction services and intervention services in working-class areas, which are required. Natural justice is also involved and we need wholesale change in this regard. I support some of the soundings from the Government about community safety partnerships, which should be far more prevalent than joint policing committees, as well as a multi-agency approach to dealing with this problem and criminal gangs.

I call on all Members to support this legislation. I welcome the work the CAB has done, including raids that have happened in my own town against criminal gangs. I welcome the work of the drugs units dealing with this level of organised crime but I am absolutely fed up with criminal gangs who are forcing parents, grandparents and siblings to pay off debt, which ends up being significantly more than the initial debt. This is utterly criminal and we have to literally put their lights out. This legislation means that if they hurt us and our communities, we will hurt them.

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