Mr. Eddie D'Arcy:

-----or they are going to be before the courts, it is not going to work. It is just ridiculous.

My other huge concern is that many people who purchase drugs do not particularly like the fact they are purchasing from a criminal gang, but they do not have an alternative. At the moment, if we say we are going to decriminalise and simple possession will no longer be a criminal offence - whether there is any other consequence does not really matter at the moment - people will still have to buy drugs from a criminal gang. I cannot get my head around how that makes sense. We are almost further legitimising the role of the gang in certain communities, which is something I really worry about.

I live in Deputy O'Reilly's constituency and I am reasonably well known; my hobby is running a local football club. I get quite a few phone calls from people in the Swords-Malahide area whose kids owe a lot of money. They do not have any local resources they can go to and they do not know anybody. They call me and ask what I think they should do. They are paying out big amounts because that intimidation and fear is now beginning to spread. I know it sounds horrible, but I am glad it is, because now maybe the rest of Ireland is beginning to become aware of what it is like in some of the communities we work in. Decriminalisation is not necessarily about reducing the number of people who take drugs. I do not think it is going to massively increase the numbers, but it might decrease the harm drugs do, particularly in communities where drug gangs are rampant.