Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wholeheartedly agree with what Senator Davitt said. This country is going to have to get into the real world when it comes to insurance and what is going on. Judges are going to have to get into the real world as well. That is not the reason I am speaking, however. There has been much talk recently about the drug epidemic and that thousands of people are using recreational drugs. Our colleague, Senator Ó Ríordáin, spoke about legalisation on soft drugs when he was a Minister. If we were to arrest everyone who was dabbling in soft drugs our courts would become completely unworkable. I propose that the committee which the Leas-Chathaoirleach chairs, the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, do an exploratory exercise on the possibility of decriminalising the use of certain drugs in this society.