Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom chomh maith fáilte a chur roimh an Seanadóir Niall Ó Brolcháin agus comhghairdeas a ghabháil leis. Tá aithne agam ar an Seanadóir le fada an lá. Go n-eirí leis. I welcome and congratulate Senator Niall Ó Brolcháin. I know him for quite some time and have no doubt he will make a very impressive contribution to the House. He is a dedicated young man involved in public life and I have no doubt he will make his mark here.

It is with great sadness that I say that today in my own town of Mullingar another young life has been claimed by the drug culture. With Senators Ó Murchú and Ó Domhnaill, I ask the Leader to invite to the House the Minister of State, Deputy Curran, for an extensive debate on the drugs problem. I congratulate the Garda Síochána on its great successes.

I join colleagues in expressing sympathy to the family of Garda Gary McLoughlin. While I did not know Garda McLoughlin, from the comments of Senator Ellis and others, he was clearly a highly valued member of the force whose death will be a sad loss. The Garda is doing its best but we must put those who deal in death where they belong. They must be taken out of circulation. We must change our approach to tackling the drugs problem. For every one step forward, we take three steps back. This is the truth which must regrettably be told. It can be shamed but never blamed. The young life lost in County Westmeath was one of many, as Senators from other counties will agree from their experience. I ask the Leader to arrange a full debate on the drugs problem at the earliest opportunity in the next session.