Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Members for their contributions to this discussion on drugs policy and acknowledge their interest in and commitment to this issue. The Government is fully committed to a health-led approach to drug use. We believe people with problematic drug and alcohol use should be treated with compassion and care.

The citizens' assembly made 36 recommendations, which will next be considered by the Oireachtas. Recommendation No. 17 calls on the State to introduce a comprehensive health-led response to the possession of drugs for personal use. This recommendation assumes that possession of controlled drugs will remain illegal, while those found in possession of drugs for personal use can be afforded extensive opportunities to engage with health-led services. Depending on how the legislation is designed, this approach would minimise or potentially completely remove the possibility of criminal conviction and prison sentences for simple possession.

The report advises that there are several open questions about how Ireland might best legislate for a health-led model, combining diversion, decriminalisation and dissuasion. Given the important legal and constitutional issues to be considered, it is the responsibility of the Oireachtas, informed by legal advice and detailed pre-legislative scrutiny, to determine the most appropriate legal mechanisms to achieve this goal. To this end, as previously outlined, it is anticipated that a special Oireachtas committee will be established to consider in detail this and other recommendations and agree on the most appropriate next steps.

In the interim, the Government will continue to progress the health diversion programme for people found in possession of drugs for personal use. The programme will divert people found to be in possession of drugs for personal use to health services rather than towards the criminal justice system. An implementation group has progressed plans for the commencement of the health diversion programme, including the operational aspects of the programme. A proposal to allow An Garda Síochána to refer people found in possession of drugs for personal use to the programme on an administrative basis has been developed. Legal advice is pending to determine how it can be put in place.

We cannot be complacent about the impact of drug use on individuals, families and communities. The citizens' assembly has documented the harmful impact of drugs on Irish society, from drug-related violence and intimidation to the multiple health and social effects on people experiencing addiction and the upheaval and distress caused to family members. That is why the assembly was asked to carefully consider the legislative, policy and operational changes the State can make to significantly reduce the harmful impact of drugs. Discussing this Bill without detailed consideration of the views of the assembly would be disrespectful to its 100 citizen members and could undermine the deliberations of the Oireachtas committee. I therefore support the proposal that the Bill be deemed to be read a Second Time in nine months.

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