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

I add my voice to what Deputy Ward has put very eloquently. What he said is from the heart. He is talking about the community he comes from, which has been absolutely ravaged by the organised criminal gangs that prey on really good people.

This is all about natural justice. We do not for a second believe that this one small item of legislation or one very small solution is going to deal with the wider pandemic of drugs we are all constantly and consistently dealing with. However, this is about natural justice in the sense that we all welcome the work done by the CAB, we welcome seeing its officers on streets and the people who live in the areas in which the raids happen all welcome that too. It is about the fact that criminals who have been seen to operate with impunity are taken apart and what the criminals love, that is to say the money and the lifestyle, is taken from them. Obviously, there is a need to follow up with coherent and strategic policing operations in order to basically put their lights out, from an operational point of view. I welcome much of the work that has been done by the Garda, including in my constituency. That said, we still have an issue with resourcing and with resourcing the courts and we still have a huge number of serious criminals who continue to walk the streets on the basis that they have not been processed through the courts.

We must look at this situation in the context of the drugs pandemic. I have even heard a positive narrative from the Government regarding the need for a multi-agency response - a whole-of-Government response. I say this while knowing about the current situation of the Family Addiction Support Network in Dundalk that deals with counties Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan. It has a really strong relationship with the Garda and plays a part not only in providing supports to the families of those suffering from addiction but also has a major role in the reporting of drug debt intimidation. That is absolutely necessary work and, unfortunately, it is something that I and many others deal with on a daily basis. I have spoken to the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, about this. It is a matter in respect of which action is really needed. We are talking about many organisations. We all know of the lack of funding for the likes of the North Eastern Regional Drugs Task Force. We know that there are many organisations, such as Turas and the Red Door Project, which do a huge amount of work but are utterly under-resourced. The Family Addiction Support Network is operating on the basis of volunteerism and this must be addressed.

Deputy Ward has already spoken of the 2019 figure for assets and cash seized amounting to €65 million. If that is added to moneys that exist, then it is a worthwhile endeavour. Last year, something of the order of €8 million in cash was seized. We know that things have changed logistically for drug dealers when it comes to laundering money. As much as we want to get ourselves out of the pandemic, I hope that problem continues for them into the future. As stated, I will always welcome any pain that can be visited upon the people who have hammered our neighbourhoods, communities and the families that must live with the impact of their activities.

I recall the story of the man in County Kerry who asked for directions only to be told "I wouldn't start from here". This State has absolutely failed to deal with this situation for many years. Now we have all got to the level where we are aware that the drugs pandemic runs right through all social strata and every part of society. We have seen the recent Health Research Board, HRB, report. We are aware of the figures from last year relating to seizures of drugs, namely, €9.5 million worth of cocaine, €7.5 million worth of cannabis and €5.3 million worth of heroin. Anyone who deals with gardaí or community workers will be aware of the plague of crack cocaine we are dealing with. We have a huge issue with this, and not just in disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged communities suffer the most and are where these dealers and organised criminals prey and where many of them operate out of. However, I am also aware of, and have dealt with, many instances where middle-class families which probably thought they were protected and insulated from this sort of situation had the knock on the door, the petrol bomb through the window, the car burnt out and much worse, and the threats were far greater. Anyone who saw the reports in the news about the situation in Drogheda three years ago will know that it went absolutely out of control because those in the criminal gangs had a rush of blood to the head. Luckily enough, they bit off more than they could chew. The State, through Operation Stratos, and, obviously, the significant work done by many people in the Drogheda area played a huge part. This is the reality in every town throughout this State, this island and beyond. Thus we must have a holistic means of dealing with this particular issue and it must involve a multi-agency approach.

I reiterate what Deputy Ward said in respect of early interventions. This money should indeed be added to regular channels of funding, which are currently insufficient. It definitely needs to come in addition. Beyond that, we must ensure we take a holistic approach to communities and what is lacking. Certain individuals and families require a greater level of support. I recall the words of the chief superintendent of the Louth Garda division who has spoken many times in the media and whose expressed fear of losing a whole generation to cocaine has been reported widely. We have a major issue. I reiterate something else he said when he spoke of his absolute frustration at arresting low-level criminals who were out robbing and stealing - carrying out criminal acts - but who were doing so to pay back a dealer. They were looking for addiction services. Those services do not exist. As a result, those to whom I refer are put into the criminal justice system and that is done at a huge cost. Eventually, after a while some of them will go through prison at huge cost to the rest of society. Then they will be back out on the street and it will all start all over again because we are never addressing the problems. Early intervention is what is necessary. This is straightforward. It is literally about us going after these criminal gangs, taking their resources and putting those resources back into communities. We need a much wider conversation and more comprehensive solutions.

I welcomed what I saw in the programme for Government regarding the idea of a convening a citizens' assembly on the drugs pandemic. We have seen the HRB report and are aware of the major number of people who partake in illegal drug use. We have seen the letter from the community workers who operate in this field. What I take from that is the fact that there is a massive issue with drug addiction and its impact on society and that we do not have a solution at this point. Previous citizens' assemblies have shown what can happen if we can get normal, regular people into a room. We can even do it via Zoom or whatever means are necessary in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Those people could interact with experts and look at best practice throughout Europe and the world. I do not doubt what many experts say, namely, that the Twenty-six Counties - and, indeed, the Six Counties - are very small and that we might need to look at a solution that works on a wider European level. However, we must have this conversation. Otherwise, we will be constantly at it.

I sound like a broken record. I have made this speech many times before. I welcome that we have legislation before us and that it involves a natural justice element such that we can take a slice off these drug dealers and put it back into those communities which have been absolutely ravaged. Like Deputy Ward, I am absolutely sick of going to homes in which people are under pressure. I could start giving out people's first names and everybody in Dundalk would know who I was talking about. People get the rap on the door and it is a case of them being asked if they want to start their payment plan at €300. Alternatively, one might hear of a granny who goes down to the home of X, Y or Z and then tells you afterwards that they have reached an arrangement. Granted, I know of situations where people have been given support and have stood up to the intimidation.

It is what I would always say, but it is very difficult to do. We definitely need them to report it. We need the Government's support on this but we need a wider solution in dealing with the drugs pandemic that is absolutely ripping apart our communities.

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