Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader arrange a debate on drugs, which might encompass cigarettes and alcohol as well as hard drugs, at the earliest opportunity? On my journey to the Chamber, I heard a radio discussion involving two inmates of Wheatfield Prison. My first observation was that they were able to engage in this conversation using mobile telephones even though, as I understand it, such items are not permitted among inmates. What was startling about their exchange with Joe Duffy, however, was the insight it gave into the use of drugs in prisons. We are constantly told there is an enormous problem in this regard but it was startling to hear these two young men describe the reality.

Drug abuse is doing enormous damage to communities and wreaking devastation on many people's lives. This damage is evident even among young children in classrooms. I was amazed when a teacher told me recently that one child in her class must avail of the services of a classroom assistant because she suffers from a disability. The disability in question is foetal alcohol syndrome. In other words, this child is suffering as a result of the drug abuse perpetrated by her mother when the child was in the womb. This is frightening.