Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I note the Senator's points and accept her bona fides on this issue. I hope she will accept mine as well that the Government intends to deliver on the commitment in the programme for Government to a health-based approach to addiction. I intend to prove this to the Senator and others through the second misuse of drugs Bill later this year and the new national drugs strategy. In addition, however, from my perspective, when An Garda Síochána asks the Government to give it a range of tools to deal with a specific problem in the north inner city, I feel obliged to act in that regard and that is why I am bringing forward this legislation, which I hope to have in this House before the summer recess.