Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I offer the apologies of the Minister of State with responsibility for public health, well-being and national drugs strategy, Deputy Feighan. He cannot be here because of Covid-19 restrictions. I am taking the question on his behalf.

Under the national drugs strategy, the Government established a working group to consider alternative approaches to the possession of drugs for personal use in December 2017. The working group examined the option of decriminalising drugs and did not deem this an appropriate option in the Irish context due to legal difficulties, which could lead to the de factolegalisation of drugs and operational problems for An Garda Síochána. The Government published this report in 2019. We cannot be complacent about the risk to health posed by illicit drugs. The Government is committed to a public health approach to drug use that will lead to better outcomes for individuals and society. There are no plans therefore to decriminalise or legalise drugs.

In line with the working group’s recommendations, the Government agreed a health-led approach to the possession of drugs for personal use, namely, the health diversion programme. This approach will offer compassion and not punishment to people who use drugs. It will connect people who use drugs with health services and a pathway to recovery, thereby avoiding a criminal conviction, which can have far-reaching consequences for people, particularly younger people. The implementation of the health diversion programme is being finalised in conjunction with the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána and the HSE.

One of the strategic priorities of the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, for the remaining four years of the national drugs strategy is to promote alternatives to coercive sanctions for drug-related offences. As well as the roll-out of the health diversion programme, other initiatives to be supported include the drug treatment court and the drug treatment services of the Probation Service. A particular emphasis will be placed on the exchange of best practice on alternatives to coercive sanctions in EU member states, under the EU drugs strategy and action plan.

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