Results 2,121-2,140 of 2,283 for speaker:Matt Shanahan
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I am sorry.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: That was a complete misinterpretation.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I did reflect. I told the Taoiseach that these were comments I was hearing on the streets. The Taoiseach may take or leave them as he wishes.
- Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I call Deputy Howlin, who has ten minutes.
- Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. The next speaking slot is Sinn Féin's. Deputy Andrews is sharing with Deputy Kenny.
- Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: The next speakers are Deputies Mac Lochlainn and Ward. They are sharing three minutes.
- Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: Next is the Independent Group. Deputies Harkin and Pringle are sharing time.
- Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: It is questions and answers.
- Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I thank the Minister of State. Will she make her concluding remarks?
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I thank Mr. Leitão da Silva. He highlighted how Portugal is on a journey ahead of us. Everybody at the moment seems to be talking about Portugal, or at least we certainly are, and what it has been doing over recent decades. On the philosophy of policing and treating drug use as an inevitable consequence of where society is, without criminalising people, has the police force in...
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: To go back to the idea of trying to interdict a greater uptake of drug taking where there is decriminalisation, we understand and have heard a lot about the logic behind that, but in terms of policing measures, I would say there is a societal desire to try, insofar as possible, to discourage recreational drug taking, especially because it may be a pathway to harder addiction. As we are...
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I might rephrase it. If, on the one hand, society wants to have some control of the expanding use of drugs but, on the other, we decriminalise and take away a sanction we have in the system at the moment, whereby everybody who is illegally supplying drugs will know there is going to be more drug use in this country over time, and if we do not have measures to try to prevent that, are we not...
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I thank our guests. It is really great to have people with such wide experience talking. Dr. Ó Concubhair also has lived experience. In his opening statement, he made some points highlighting what is becoming a common theme here, that is, that the present war on drugs is not winnable and that recreational drug use is essentially a fact of life. I drink alcohol. That is my vice. It...
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: What I am wondering about is whether we should decriminalise and give society the idea that widespread drug-taking of all types is permissible and quite okay. Just the same as you might have a drink, you might take an opioid and all of that. Does Dr. Ó Concubhair have concerns about what that might look like? Is it a realisable vision?
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: I thank Dr. Ó Concubhair for that. Mr. Glynn might like to come in here as well. My concern relates to drug dependence. I worked in a business in the healthcare space that involved regulated opioids and I have seen the addictive nature of those drugs. How are we to stop recreational drug users embarking on a pathway to a range of different drugs? Vaping might be an example. It...
- Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: No, I am not. I am asking whether Dr. Ó Concubhair is concerned. I believe Ireland is an outlier. With regard to alcohol, we were told for years that the Irish personality or psyche is such that, in a lot of ways, we tend to go all in. That is my opinion. We all know recreational drug users. That is fine. However, we have one system in this country, one of criminal sanctions. It...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: Last week on Leaders' Questions the Tánaiste expressed exasperation at what he sees as a false narrative I am laying concerning his support for Waterford and the south east. He mentioned University Hospital Waterford so I will put some figures on the record. The current staffing level at the hospital is 2,800 whole-time equivalents. Its peer model 4 hospitals of Limerick, Cork, Galway...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)
Matt Shanahan: Talk sense.