Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not have a speech prepared for this discussion. Listening to Senator Ruane, I thought of some of the friends I went to school with who have died from taking drugs and drug addiction. I also think of some young Traveller men. The high rate of suicide within the Traveller community is also caused by drug addiction. We have a homelessness crisis and Travellers are overrepresented in the prison system, as are working class people. We have to ask why? What is addiction? Addiction can also be taking tablets. We often forget about that part of addiction. I know all about addiction and I do not want to talk about it too passionately or too much because it will open up a can of worms for me as a Traveller woman from a big family. I have addiction inside and outside of my family and I choose not to speak about it.

I am not as strong as Senator Ruane. She has been here for six years, standing by herself and looking for equality for people who take drugs. Hate the addiction, not the person. That is the message I have heard today. Senator Ruane is a stronger woman than I am. I have seen people die. All I have to do is to walk into Dublin city centre. I used to walk from the Spire back to Labre Park in Ballyfermot and the halting site where I was born and reared and where I have seen drug addiction and where, even today, I see young men with mental health problems. There is little or no support for them and I will speak about that tomorrow in the House. I would not walk the street now. I would not say I am afraid but I am very hurt to see fine, good-looking, well-reared women and young fellas on the streets crying out for support and help and it is not there. We need the citizens' assembly set up as soon as possible. There is no reason we cannot do it. We could do it if the political will was there, and it is up to the Government to do it. As many Senators pointed out, this is our responsibility.

I have two little girls, a five-month-old and a two-year-old, and even though we are in Donegal, that does not mean they are never going to see drugs. I want a better future for them and, by God, I am sure the Taoiseach wants a better future for his grandchildren in years down the line. Every one of us wants that.

I ran for election to the Seanad two years ago. I travelled around the country visiting county councillors. Someone once told me not to cut off my nose to spite my face. Today, I am going to cut off my nose to spite my face - whatever will be, will be. If I want to come back to this House going forward, I will need the support of county councillors. I do not believe we should have a citizens' assembly for county councillors. A citizens' assembly is about citizens, not local government, and we have to be very clear on that. We should value all our county councillors, not just the 180 councillors in Dublin but all councillors in the 32 counties of Ireland. We should get them all together to speak about the reform of local authorities and local government and allow them to have that well-deserved space of their own.

Our job in this House is to look after the people and work with the people. It is not about local government. I know damn well that the 76 county councillors who gave me their first preference vote, especially Independent councillors in Meath and Donegal, will say we should set up a citizens' assembly on drugs where we can deal with and listen to people who are taking drugs.