Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last Thursday, I raised the issue of cocaine use in our communities, and the normalisation of the use of cocaine that we have seen creep in in recent years. The reaction that I got over the weekend was one I did not expect. There was an enormous reaction. I received many very difficult phone calls from the heartbroken parents, spouses and siblings of people who have fallen into addiction and on the wrong side of drug dealers, and who have incurred major debts and encountered huge issues. It is that normalisation that is the problem that we really need to face up to and address. I am conscious that there are events unfolding off the coast of Wexford today that may well illustrate just how prevalent this problem is. I ask the Taoiseach to take personal responsibility for fronting-up an effort from Government across all Departments to try to address this problem, because it is literally destroying thousands of lives and the very fabric of our communities around the country.

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