Results 161-180 of 3,690 for speaker:Lynn Ruane

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Okay. That is perfect. He is then the academic director of addiction management in the primary care programme of the ICGP. Is that the correct title?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: We have a list here for Dr. Crowley's biography. The witnesses are very welcome. I am grateful to them for agreeing to come before the committee today. I invite the representative of the Irish Pharmacy Union to give an opening statement. I am not sure who is going to lead on that.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I now invite the representative of the Irish College of General Practitioners to make an opening statement.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I thank Dr. Kenny. We will move on to members. There are seven minutes per member. If I have to interrupt or cut someone offer in order to make sure everybody gets in the first round, I apologise in advance. There will most likely be a second round.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I call Deputy Ward.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Did I give the Deputy a fright?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Next, I call Senator Fitzpatrick.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Does the Deputy have a question?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I am going to ask a few questions before I move into a second round. There will be five minutes for the second round and Senator Seery Kearney will be first. It has been a really good session and very clear and to the point. It is interesting when I say "clear and to the point" because sometimes I listen to how colleagues pose questions and wonder whether the clarity is being felt...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I thank Mr Murray. To move on from that, I was really delighted to see the sentence "human-rights based" in there. What does that look like in real terms? We had a conversation regarding alternatives to methadone as a treatment being readily available but some communication to me indicates there is no choice on that. It is health-rights-based but then there is no choice in that about...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: When GPs carry out the training, they are granted the list and are able to take on patients for methadone or other options. There seems to be something happening in some counties outside Dublin where people need treatment. The doctors are saying they have done the training and have signed up but are not receiving any patients. However, other doctors are receiving many patients. Who...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Is it the HSE co-ordinators who are then deciding on where patients go or is it higher up in terms of the central list?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Okay. They are making the decisions. As I said, there are GPs in one or two counties specifically who are saying they are trained and there are patients but they are not being sent to them. They are a bit confused by that. Perhaps that can be dealt with separately. I can ask them to make contact with the appropriate people. I have two final questions but I will put them together. One...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Does there need to be some sort of public information for people to know they can go to talk to their doctor about the tramadol addiction?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Okay. I thank Dr. Crowley. The other question was on whether there were conversations regarding the benzo detoxes.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: It is good practice. That collaboration piece is important to ensure a doctor is very well linked in with the local community services, so it is a more holistic approach across the board within the community. I will go to Dr. Quinlan and move on.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: It is not to fully say that is where benzo addiction comes from. Obviously, prescribing is a big part, but a lot of benzo addiction is starting anyway within the illegal market without it ever having been prescribed, so there are definitely two cohorts or transitions happening there. Senator Seery Kearney is next.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: We have to move on.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: I wish to make three points. I might then give an opportunity for people to comment or deal with any unanswered questions that arose throughout the session before we wrap up. On doctors, GPs or whomever being able to refuse care, reproductive rights is obviously one area in which that happens but that has been the subject of a constitutional debate for years when it comes to the religious...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Lynn Ruane: Is there an issue in the medical profession beyond GP-specific training in terms of the curriculum and being able to train to be a doctor and understand the social contexts in which they are going to work? Obviously, some social contexts are going to be different as a result of environmental factors, poverty and all of that. Doctors obviously have to choose to either become GPs or go into...