Joe O'Toole (Independent)

There is no question that this would happen and that one would encounter many problems. Can the Minister of State indicate a problem greater than those we currently face, where people are being shot, killed, robbed and tortured? I may have considered all these issues when I organised a pan-European drugs conference in 1986 on behalf of the Council of Europe and the European Community, but I do not purport to be an expert. I am proposing an approach we have not yet tried. The Minister of State's response should not be to list all the problems associated with my proposal, including the negative publicity it would attract, as I am already aware of them.

Somebody will have to do something different on this issue as it will not be resolved by the current approach. Drugs use and misuse is increasing rather than decreasing for which, incidentally, I do not blame the Government because all Governments would face the same problem. Despite the important points raised as regards policy towards the Garda Síochána, nobody knows the answer to the drugs problem.

At least by decriminalising drugs and making heroin and hard drugs controlled substances, my approach would afford us an opportunity to take a brand new approach to it. While I do not expect many people to agree with me, this approach has been tried and has worked. If we could finally snooker the criminal element, we could at least begin to deal with addiction and the medical and other issues associated with it. As long as drug prices are maintained at high levels because dealing in and taking them is a criminal activity, the industry we have created for unscrupulous drug barons will thrive. We know where the current approach is leading us and while I do not pretend to know the answer, I would like new ways of thinking to be brought to bear on the issue.