Results 1-20 of 91 for drugs speaker:Dessie Ellis

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Dessie Ellis: The co-ordinator of the Finglas and Cabra local drugs and alcohol task force, Mr. John Bennett, who did an enormous amount of work, passed away recently. A temporary co-ordinator has been put in place until the vacancy is filled. Due to the HSE embargo on recruitment, and budget restraints, the task force is unable to fill the position. This position needs to be filled as a matter of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Rights-Based Care for People with Disabilities: Discussion (8 Nov 2023)

Dessie Ellis: ...at? We have all experienced people, both young and older people, being turned away as a result of a diagnosis not being caught. We have seen it in dual diagnosis in mental health in respect of drug-taking on top of mental health issues. We are also seeing it in the case of people with disabilities. What is happening in that field? Have we made progress on the issue of children going...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Youth Services (5 Oct 2023)

Dessie Ellis: ...target group is young people with additional needs relating to inclusivity. A fourth target group relates to young people affected by issues linked to substance misuse by family members, personal drug use, drug dealing and drug deaths. The final group is young people aged 16 to 24 who are not involved in education. For 2024, this is all now being condensed into three target groups...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Jul 2023)

Dessie Ellis: Local communities, local drug task forces and An Garda Síochána are reporting a huge surge in the use of crack cocaine in communities. Local drug task forces are struggling to deal with this surge and are having to turn people with addictions away from their services due to a lack of funding and a loss of personnel. This crisis in employment in the task forces is because vital...

Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2023)

Dessie Ellis: ...the introduction of a so-called Fagin's law to protect children from being groomed into a life of crime. He identified real-life situations where children were being actively groomed by drug gangs and other criminals to carry out serious crimes. While the drug problem can be seen across all communities and demographics, it is mainly vulnerable communities and disadvantaged areas that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Accessing Justice: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Dessie Ellis: ...is going about things. Mental health issues in the prison population are reckoned to be approximately four times the national average, which is very worrying. Much of it is increased by alcohol, drugs, or otherwise, and dealing with that is difficult. What is the experience of the Prison Service in dealing with people with those mental health issues and disabilities in how they are...

Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use: Motion (21 Feb 2023)

Dessie Ellis: The establishment of a Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use is long overdue. Hopefully, this April we will have in position the necessary 100 people to look at this and to consider all aspects of drug use, including recovery facilities, legal and policing issues and the roles of task forces and policing committees. I am a long-time member of the Finglas-Cabra drugs task force. Drugs task forces...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Disability, Mental Health and Ageing: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (17 Nov 2022)

Dessie Ellis: ...dual diagnosis. There are many issues, which I have encountered many times. People have gone to hospitals and were turned away because they had mental health issues but they had also been taking drugs or alcohol. Will the Minister of State explain what plans are in place to deal with that? Under Housing for All, the new housing plan, there is a review of the adaptation grants for older...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Disability, Mental Health and Ageing: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (17 Nov 2022)

Dessie Ellis: ...in the hospitals as opposed to people being turned away. The psychiatrist is supposed to see them, but they have to make a clear judgement that this person, even though there is perhaps alcohol or drugs involved, cannot be turned away.

Coercion of a Minor (Misuse of Drugs Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Oct 2022)

Dessie Ellis: I welcome this Bill, which will help protect children from being groomed by adults involved in the drugs trade and provide proper sanction for those who exploit children for this purpose. Vulnerable communities and disadvantaged areas are most impacted by the use and distribution of illegal drugs. The use of illegal drugs affects every demographic across all communities but economically...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Jul 2022)

Dessie Ellis: Nitrous oxide is a gas that has medical and industrial uses. Increasingly, however, it is used as a recreational drug. It is known colloquially as hippy crack. Doctors see young people present to emergency departments showing progressive disorders affecting nerves in their arms and legs related to the illicit use of nitrous oxide. Doctors now warn that the use of nitrous oxide canisters...

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (7 Apr 2022)

Dessie Ellis: The definition of dual diagnosis according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists is the coexistence of mental health and substance misuse problems, including both drugs and alcohol. Each of these disorders is both chronic and relapsing and each has an independent course capable of influencing the other disorder. It is recognised by many notable psychiatrists that it is quite unusual for an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (1 Mar 2022)

Dessie Ellis: ...what is being used in other parts of the country and the proportion of gardaí in other areas, and see whether there is a significant lack of gardaí in the Finglas area. I am on the Finglas-Cabra drugs task force for more than 20 years. The amount of resources that are being put into that is unacceptable. There is not a regular top-up when it comes to resources for them....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (1 Mar 2022)

Dessie Ellis: ...90 gardaí covering the area. As can be seen immediately, there is a glaring imbalance in respect of available Garda resources in this densely populated area. Issues that have come to national attention involve illegal drug-related activity, gang-related criminality and feuding among gangs, which are greatly affecting the community of Finglas and impacting on those going about their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Travellers' Experiences in Prison and Related Matters: Discussion (21 Oct 2021)

Dessie Ellis: ...the witnesses give us some insight into that? Will the witnesses give us an idea how addiction treatment services in the system work? If somebody has a serious addiction problem, whether alcohol or drugs, how would he or she be treated or dealt with?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Dessie Ellis: ...pre-legislative scrutiny. Does the Tánasite know the timescale for this to be completed? There is real concern in my constituency that young children are increasingly being groomed to act as drug couriers by criminal elements involved in the drugs trade. The proposed legislation needs to be passed into law as soon as possible.

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (28 Apr 2021)

Dessie Ellis: ...Court on the sentencing of individuals to mandatory minimum sentences for a second or subsequent offence under the relevant legislation. Many of the mandatory sentences for violent offences and drugs offences that are being removed from the various Acts under this Bill were introduced as a consequence of the escalating criminal activity in communities, particularly with regard to drug...

Organisation of Working Time (Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2020)

Dessie Ellis: ...destabilises families, and it can cause severe emotional harm to the children. The stress and anxiety of living in abusive relationships has caused many victims of domestic violence to turn to alcohol and other drugs as a coping mechanism. It is not unusual for many victims of domestic violence who have fled the home to end up homeless. The effects on children living in this...

Section 39 Organisations: Motion [Private Members] (17 Dec 2019)

Dessie Ellis: ...need a certain level of staffing to provide their much needed services. It is not feasible for them to continue to provide activities and services without sufficient resources and staff. The Ballymun Youth Action Project is a community-led response to drug and alcohol misuse. It provides vital services for the communities and families suffering from the negative impacts of drugs and...