Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1040. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide an overview of his Department's responses to recommendations made in the report of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30237/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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The Government’s strategic approach in relation to the misuse of drugs is set out in Ireland’s National Drug Strategy, ‘Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery’, a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017-2025.

The Strategy recognises the need for a balanced health-led approach to reducing demand, while also reducing access to illegal drugs, and is aimed at reducing the number of people criminalised for the possession of drugs for personal use. While this Strategy supports vulnerable people who use drugs, it is also matched with strengthened enforcement measures across Government to tackle the supply of illegal drugs.

This represents a whole-of-Government response to reducing demand and associated harms, while balancing this with limiting access to illegal drugs to the greatest extent possible.

My Department is fully committed to helping to significantly reduce the harms caused to families and communities by illicit drug use. The three main policy objectives we are seeking to achieve in this area are:

• tackling organised crime,
• minimising the harms caused to those with addiction issues, and
• diverting people from involvement in crime and illicit drug related activity.

The Deputy will be aware that the Assembly has completed its report, which was considered by the Joint Committee on Drugs Use under the 33rd Dáíl and 26th Seanad. The Committee published an interim report, the contents of which officials in my Department will consider, and will engage on the contents along with colleagues in the Department of Health.