Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Ó Ríordáin on bringing forward the motion. This is a really important issue and affects every section of society. We need more discussions as to how we approach the use of drugs in this country. We need to hear from everybody. Everybody has to have a voice on this. Whether we agree or disagree with them, we have to ensure that people are engaged in this discussion. The best place for that, as has been said, is in the citizens' assembly. It is really important. A citizens' assembly allows people to have a voice. It teases out all the complex issues. We have to ensure, as I said, that nobody's point of view is considered invalid.

So many families and individuals are directly affected by the failed approach this State has taken to drug use. We need a step change in how we approach drug use. We need to see a health-led approach that has harm reduction and prevention at its core, not the criminalisation of those with addiction problems who need help and support.

Someone who robs a bank is a criminal. Someone who has an addiction is not a criminal. Someone who smokes some weed occasionally is not a criminal. We need to treat this as a health issue. Portugal introduced decriminalisation and the sky did not fall in. People's lives were saved because the level of overdoses reduced. This proposal is not radical. What we are calling for would not make us an outlier in terms of European policy. It has become an essential change of policy and we have to adopt it.

During the Covid pandemic, we regularly heard that we have to believe in the science. I understand the World Health Organization recommends decriminalisation. Just as with Covid-19 and the surrounding issues, we must ensure that we believe the science around drug use and decriminalisation.

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