Seanad debates

Wednesday, 12 November 2003

Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. - National Drugs Strategy: Motion.

 

It should be noted that the national drugs strategy team is consulting the national alcohol strategy task force about the establishment of effective links between drug and alcohol policies at national, regional and local levels. I do not mean to belittle the dangers of alcohol. Fine Gael's motion recognises that drugs are illegal and that alcohol is legal. The abuse of alcohol is a serious matter. The Labour Party tried, as it often does, to confuse the matters by saying, more or less, that drugs are not so bad after all. I accept that Fine Gael realises that drugs are illegal. A great deal of the Government's energy and emphasis is on trying to crack down on the criminal nature of drugs. We are trying to link the drugs strategy and the alcohol strategy at the preventative level. The strategies overlap at certain levels, particularly at the preventative level. When we speak to younger people, it is important that we try to link the preventative aspects of these matters. We should provide information and knowledge about both issues.

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