Results 1-20 of 50 for drugs speaker:Paul McAuliffe

Anniversary of the Introduction of the Smoking Ban: Statements (11 Apr 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: ...to the body and, in fact, we missed him this morning. I wish him well in his role, in particularly with regard to public health and considering the recommendations of the citizens' assembly on drugs, which I will come back to. It is interesting that Deputy Smith spoke about the role of the trade union movement in terms of the smoking ban. What is often forgotten is that it is not a...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: ...love to see a methodology. Population is a factor, as is the level of crime. It should not be based on historic numbers in a station. The report states that between 2011 and 2020 the number of drugs offences doubled. This means gardaí on the ground have to do double the work and double the processing but they do not have double the numbers.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Divisional drugs teams are contained in the overall number of gardaí in a division. Is that true?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (21 Mar 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: .... They can be removed and destroyed, so they will not be going back out on the streets. I ask the Commissioner to keep going with that work. E-scooters are being used as a mode of distribution by drugs gangs. I ask that An Garda Síochána also takes on board the provisions in the legislation that prevent underage children using e-scooters, e-scooters travelling above the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (5 Mar 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: ...pursue without continuously saying "Yes" to pharma companies, and not resorting to patients having to advocate in the way that we do. We have to have a more humane version of the HTA process. The drugs that are put through that process have to be more available to patients while, at the same time, we seek to secure the best value for money for the taxpayer.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (5 Mar 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: ...that the Government would continue to do that for gardaí to allow them to deliver further results. I also note the concerns where gardaí say that these bikes are being used in the sale of illegal drugs, and that not only are scramblers being used but also e-scooters, often by very young children. I thank the Taoiseach for his personal support with regard to the changes on...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 24 - Justice
Vote 21 - Prisons (15 Feb 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: I may come back to that in a later round of questions. On the previous occasion our guests were before the committee, I pushed very heavily on the roll-out of the north inner city drug and alcohol task force. I welcome the announcement this week that John Costello is going to chair the implementation board in Ballymun. The witnesses will know that my next question is going to be about...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (13 Feb 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: ..., as we have been promised. We want to ensure that issues that are unique to our area are addressed, like the provision of early school leaving solutions, the recruitment of senior social workers, open drug dealing blackspots and the designing out of places of antisocial behaviour. These are all issues that I know the Taoiseach wants to solve. I ask that decision-makers from the Civil...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2022
Vote 38 - Health
Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022
Chapter 18 - Health Service Executive Funding and Financial Reporting (1 Feb 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: I take it as a positive response, but that is a matter for us as well. There is one issue with the embargo in that the co-ordinator for the drugs task force in our area, a gentlemen named John Bennett, a fantastic man, passed away, and there have been suggestions that that post cannot be filled because of the recruitment embargo, even though it has been filled for 20 years. I ask the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Dec 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I also want to mark the anniversary of Private Seán Rooney. I think all of our thoughts are with the families of peacekeepers who are separated from their loved ones this Christmas. The drugs task force co-ordinator position in Finglas and Cabra has been a funded post for many decades. A vacancy has arisen because the co-ordinator passed away. The recruitment process is under...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (27 Jun 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: ...the use of this court, and I have no doubt about that, but I have to admit to her that my primary motivation for standing up to support the Bill tonight is the way it is used to tackle the illegal drugs industry. I imagine many Members in the House are motivated in supporting the Bill on that basis. We know that in tackling the illegal drugs industry, this is not the only tool that is...

Youth Justice Strategy: Statements (21 Jun 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: ...The previous speakers touched on the fact that this is a huge societal issue. Youth justice is one area before the Minister and one area that is a subject of the report, but the State's policy on drugs, child poverty, investing in Tusla, rolling out the north inner city model and an interagency approach to tackling disadvantage all feed into youth justice. In many ways, the Garda is...

Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: ...what the solutions are to these issues. The findings of the Greentown study, led by the University of Limerick, identified how children were being groomed into criminal behaviour and the illegal drugs industry. Deputy Ó Ríordáin is spot on here. We have an opportunity in this Dáil to bring together a number of initiatives that I think have significant cross-party...

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 24 – Justice (25 May 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: ...2019, when I was Lord Mayor, I commissioned with the city council a report entitled Ballymun – A Brighter Future: A Plan to Tackle the Underlying Causes of Addiction and Crime and to Tackle Open Drug Dealing, which was written by Mr. Andrew Montague. It is a really strong report.

Organised Crime: Statements (20 Apr 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: The key point is that the Deputy referred to figures for a certain period. One can be selective in picking particular periods. I agree with Deputies Tóibín and Shanahan that drugs seem to be the engine of the organised crime industry. That is because there is huge money to be made on the sale of drugs. We have seen infiltration by the drugs industry in many different...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (28 Feb 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: I welcome the announcement today regarding the appointment of a chair of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use. I also welcome the early date of 14 April for its first meeting. While it is very unlikely a constitutional amendment will be required as a result of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use, it will make recommendations. I am conscious that we are midway through the Government's term....

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Feb 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: ...would definitely be beneficial for everyone in this House. I will start my contribution in an area I had not planned. This is to follow Deputy Boyd Barrett’s point on the issue of drugs. So much of crime and safety, my experience of it and the experience of the places I represent, and those places that I do not represent, revolve around the illegal drugs industry. It has...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Feb 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: Except water perhaps, but we know the negative impact drugs have. However, similar to that debate about the issue of the eighth amendment, we also know the reality and complexity of life and what is in our control and what is not in our control. Rather than us fleshing it out in full today, because it is not really the principal focus of the debate, and I do not often agree with Deputy Boyd...

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

Paul McAuliffe: ...we would not have reached this point without significant voices in all political parties and many at a community level calling for this citizens' assembly to be established. We know the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 is not working. Drug use has increased over this time and the State is allocating huge resources to try to tackle the management and implementation of this legislation. The 100...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Integration and Refugee Issues: Discussion (21 Feb 2023)

Paul McAuliffe: As a non-member, I thank the committee for allowing me and others to speak. I am watching the debate on a motion for a citizens' assembly on drug use taking place in the House, which is something I waited a long time for. I regret missing it, but this conversation is crucial. Deputy Murnane O'Connor is right to say it is an emergency. I noted the reaction and how communities responded...