Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I compliment the Irish Independent for giving such generous coverage to the issue of cannabis use. The coverage arises out of the report, to be published tomorrow morning, by the Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on cannabis use. It is good to see we are making front-page news. I pay tribute to the committee's Chairman, Deputy Keaveney, and the various witnesses who gave their points of view on the issue. The Irish Independent took the report as it found it and did not endeavour to put its own spin on it. The newspaper also gave the Chairman the opportunity to respond to some questions it had.

The report has heightened an awareness of the subject of cannabis use. Too many people, particularly socialites, put forward the idea that cannabis is harmless and that it has many kinds of medicinal values. We all know the dangers that lurk in that argument. When an Oireachtas committee puts so much work into a report that receives such coverage from a daily newspaper, it should be debated in the House. It would be a worthwhile debate and I hope it will happen in the next session.