Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I support the citizens' assembly on biodiversity loss. It is a serious issue and I fully support that forum taking place. Biodiversity loss is not just an issue in Ireland but internationally. Here at home, we are losing a great deal of biodiversity that will have an onward impact on insects and animals alike. Therefore, I have no problem with that assembly.

I do, however, have a problem with the Dublin citizens' assembly. I support the amendment that will be moved by Senator Lynn Ruane in the Seanad tomorrow. She is raising the issue that, technically, citizens' assemblies are made up of citizens. Including 12 councillors in that forum dilutes the citizens' assembly aspect. Those councillors should not be on it. Citizens should make up the total membership, and I agree those aged under 18 should be included. Additionally, it is astounding to put the Dublin citizens' assembly, including a focus on a directly elected mayor, ahead of the proposed citizens' assembly to deal with the drugs issue. I ask the Government to reconsider this or else have three citizens' assemblies being held concurrently.

The Taoiseach himself said on 9 February:

As regards drugs policy, it is our view that we will have a citizens' assembly in the latter part of this year. However, that does not mean there is nothing happening with drugs policy. [I agree with him on that; there is a lot happening]. It is an urgent and serious issue that has to be dealt with in the context of a community-up approach, with multidisciplinary supports going into the communities most affected, along with a health-based approach. In any event, we are very seized of the serious situation in many communities as a result of drug abuse.

The Taoiseach was also a guest speaker at the Fergus McCabe Memorial Conference in November last year. He re-emphasised the points concerning the social and economic issues in our communities and the need for effective local drug and alcohol task forces. He made particular reference to the Drogheda review of March 2021 and the report of the Tallaght local drug and alcohol task force, which highlighted the issue of the links between disadvantaged communities and problem drug and alcohol use.

The Government has now kicked this citizens' assembly on drug use into next year. This is a clear failure on the part of the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and the Department to negotiate a citizens' assembly on a vital part of his brief. Pushing the citizens' assembly on drug use into 2023 will mean the assembly will sit for at least nine months and therefore will be looking at going into 2024. The Government would then have to consider the issues raised in the recommendations of that citizens' assembly and try to implement them before the Government falls in 2025. The Green Party's insistence that a citizens' assembly on drug use be part of the programme for Government now looks like it may go into the programme for Government for 2025 and onwards after the next election.

This is a disappointing situation for the people in our communities. People are dying and the local drug and alcohol task forces need support. This has to become a public health issue. There is also the question of people in communities getting attacked and the criminality impacts of drug use in our communities. This is just too big an issue to let it rest until next year or be kicked back that long.

Senator Ruane's proposed amendment will request the creation of a citizens' assembly on drug use this year as a matter of urgency. She is also raising the point that the Dublin citizens' assembly should consist of 80 members who are citizens, including an independent chairperson. If necessary, the 12 councillors should go to the assembly and express their opinions to the citizens regarding a directly elected mayor or else have their own councillors' assembly. Having the councillors constitute part of this Dublin citizens' assembly, however, contradicts the concept. If the Green Party is serious about wanting to have its base in the community at local level, it should be insisting this citizens' assembly on drug use be held this year and that there should be three citizens' assemblies in all.

See this speech in context