Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to enable a person who is at least 18 years of age to have possession, for the person’s personal use, of either or both cannabis and cannabis resin that in each case does not exceed a specified amount and to provide for related matters.

I am thankful that I am introducing this Bill today. It has been a number of years in the making. The last Bill which came before the House on this was ten years ago. I think Ireland has moved on considerably since then. Ireland is a very different place in relation to many things and it is a different place in the area of drug reform.

The Bill is quite moderate. It amends existing legislation that dates back 42 years. Forty-two years is a very long time. I believe the existing legislation is out of date and out of time. We need a different narrative around drug reform. Criminalising people for possession of small quantities of any drug, and particularly cannabis, is a complete waste of time. It is a waste of resources. Bringing people through the criminal justice system does not work. There are different models. We need to use a model that stops criminalising people who are adults and make adult choices. Criminalising people for drug use does not work and we need something very different.

Ironically, all drugs in schedule A are controlled drugs. That means that the only people who are allowed to have them is the State. Instead, we have the opposite. The cannabis market is controlled by organised crime. Why allow that to happen? Why keep allowing that to happen? We need to take back control and stop criminalising people.

There is a debate to be had. I think there is a ground swell of opinion not only in Ireland but across the world for something very different. We need to move away from the status quo because it does not work. It has not been a deterrent. The legislation we have now is meant to deter people from possessing, selling or cultivating cannabis but it has done the opposite. It has driven it underground and has made it largely controlled by the black market. A better system is one that is controlled by the State. It is a system that is best for everybody whether one uses cannabis or not. Whether or not one uses cannabis is irrelevant. We are looking at a societal issue here. The Government has talked about a harm reduction, health-led approach which is welcome but it is rhetoric. It is lip service at the end of the day. If the Government believes in a health-led approach then it would have to support this Bill. If it does not support this Bill then I do not see meaning in what the Government says about harm reduction. Surely, if it supports the idea of decriminalisation and a health-led approach it would support this Bill.

There will be a wider debate around this issue in the citizens' assembly. That is very welcome. We need to have a grown-up discussion about drug use in this country because for too long people were criminalised and marginalised. That is the one thing that you do not do to people. It has never worked. Giving people criminal convictions for small amounts of cannabis that follows them around forever is barbaric. In years to come they will look at our legislation on drug use and wonder how stupid were the people who put in place these antiquated laws to criminalise people because of things that happen in life.

I hope the Government can support this legislation. It is timely. Different parts of the world are looking at different models which do not criminalise people and which take a harm-reduction approach. I look forward to the debate. We need a mature discussion on this. History is on our back. We have had 40 years of bad law. It is time to change the laws and make them good for everybody.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Is the Bill being opposed?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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No.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."