Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Bacik.

This is an incredibly important motion and I commend my party colleague Deputy Ó Ríordáin on bringing so many people along with him on this over the years.

It has been a passion of his and something for which he has been fighting for many years in our Labour Party based on his knowledge and personal experience. It is now on the floor of the Dáil in advance of a citizens' assembly. Really, however, we need to educate and get the message out that our current policies on drug abuse in Ireland simply are not fit for purpose. They do not work. They are not compassionate. Simply put, they are failing society and failing so many people.

One thing I want to stress today as somebody who comes from a rural county is that this is not an issue just for urban centres. This is an issue in every village, town and county of Ireland. I say that with some experience. It is in my own village. It is in the local clubs in my own town. It is everywhere. Young people in particular now are taking drugs in a way that is very different from before. Many of them play sports and find that taking certain forms of drugs gives them a high rather than taking huge volumes of alcohol. What happens then is they develop an addiction.

The way in which we are dealing with this issue needs to change. The idea that 10,000 people are arrested every year for personal drug use is absolute madness. I represent Templemore. If the Minister of State were to talk to any gardaí, they would tell him it is a waste of resources. They do not even want to be doing it. They feel sorry for the people. We really need to change policy. We need a change in policy that shows compassion but also deals with this in a realistic way. This is not about arresting people. We have seen changes in recent times with regard to criminalisation and the three strikes rule. That is a move in the right direction but that is not working either. It is not working for people who are addicted to various different types of drugs.

Ultimately, this motion is about people. It is important to get the message out that this does not mean we are legalising drugs. Those who engage in criminal activities need to be prosecuted in accordance with the laws in every shape and fashion. This is about the ordinary users. What is the point in arresting them? What is the point in doing it as a criminal justice issue? This is about health. It is about looking after people in a more humane way, which requires a complete change in policy. We need to get that across to the people because I believe, at this stage, they will wholeheartedly support it.

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