Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I had intended to initiate a Bill to be taken in our Private Members' time next Wednesday but there was a mix up with the Bills Office last night. It seems I cannot initiate the Controlled Drugs and Harm Reduction Bill but it will be presented next Wednesday. I understand I only need the signatures of Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and the Leader to allow that to happen. I had planned to initiate it on the Order of Business and I acknowledge that its introduction will go ahead and that it will be printed. I am holding a briefing on it next Tuesday and some of the international experts in the field of decriminalisation of addiction will be in attendance. I urge any Senators who are unsure of what this Bill entails or what it will mean in an Irish context to attend it themselves rather than only their representatives who work in their offices. I urge the Senators to come along and speak to the four high calibre experts from Ireland and abroad who have been working on decriminalisation of addiction across Europe for many years. It would be great if Senators came into this Chamber fully informed on what this Bill entails next Wednesday when we will have this debate.

I would like to second much of what Senator Conway-Walsh said concerning some comments made by our potential next Taoiseach. I find them concerning and they are divisive. I do not make this claim lightly because I do not like attacking people personally but I have a fear that we are moving into a time where we are going to be looking at a Taoiseach who is very classist in his nature. I did not want to have to stand here and say this today but it is the first time in my life that I have felt a little bit of fear about what is coming in terms of our next Taoiseach. I was also close to thinking that I would nearly sign up to Fine Gael just to vote against him and put a No. 1 beside Simon Coveney's name, and that is saying something.