Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will discuss it now and formally move it in due course. The Senator spoke with great passion and what he has proposed is a pragmatic approach that allows us to achieve exactly what the Minister seeks to achieve with the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016 but helps us not to criminalise the poor unfortunate person who has the addiction. This does not propose a defence for drug pushers but for the unfortunate person who is ill with addiction, the effects of which are felt also by his family.

The war on drugs has been an outright and total disaster. I represent an inner city community which has seen the effects of drugs and all the efforts of police to tackle it, which were all done in good faith, have got us nowhere.The way it has been treated in urban areas is that people are brought into the heart of the city centre, especially for methadone treatment, where the pushers can easily get at them, for example, in places like Trinity Court. There is a triangle of addiction centres. On my way to the Seanad last week I noticed people who had come in for treatment who evidently wanted to be helped but the pushers were hanging around trying to push drugs on them.

When I started my political career an effort was made to establish satellite clinics, which were hugely resisted by local communities. I recall being at one very heated meeting where I spoke in favour of the satellite methadone clinics where communities would work with families and the person with the addiction, in small numbers. That was resisted in a hot and heavy way in my electoral area. I was told I would never get elected due to my support for community methadone clinics. Despite that, I was re-elected. The satellite clinic was opened and operated very well for people with addictions and their families. We were able to connect local counselling services with the clinic and many people that went to the satellite clinic were able to reintegrate into society and the workforce and they became active members of their families with the help of several agencies. Unfortunately, the satellite clinic was closed by the HSE and people with addictions were referred to major centres such as Trinity Court with the result that they went down the slippery slope again. The very people who protested against the satellite clinic came back to me and said their cousin or brother went to it and that it worked very effectively. They admitted they were wrong and asked for the clinic to be reopened. They realised that sending people to the large treatment centres in Dublin city centre does not help people with addiction. Those with addictions are not supported and pushers are facilitated to be able access a large market and to sell their goods. I hope that issue will be addressed in the drugs strategy. Amendment No. 2 is a good, pragmatic amendment and I hope the Minister of State will tell us she can accept it.