Results 321-340 of 1,045,543 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Paschal Donohoe OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Michael Collins OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Paul McAuliffe)
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: I am thinking of the two legal drugs we have, namely, methadone and alcohol.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: No, but my question is whether the journey to recovery is made easier for methadone and alcohol than it is for illegal drugs, not because of the chemical structure of the substance but because the criminal nature of the substance is not there.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: As the previous Chair said here once, you cannot stop people making moral judgements but you can stop making policy based on moral judgements.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: That is the beginning of the journey. We need to change that and the criminal sanction is an impairment to recovery. I should say happy recovery month and well done on all the work on that. The other end of the spectrum is full legalisation, allow a commercial model regulate and have a for-profit element as with any other product. I hear what Mr. Mullins says, because there is a fear,...
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: They are very different, yes.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: If I might ask one last question which is difficult to ask of a big group. I think there is consensus on the point that the criminal element has an impact. Is there consensus that legalisation would be the ultimate solution here? It is a big question.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: Chairman, to be fair to my colleague, because I asked a big question, maybe I will take the answer from someone in the next round.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Paul McAuliffe: Senator Fitzpatrick asked a question that I threw in at the very end too.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses for attending. On decriminalisation, Mr. Mullins pointed out that the middle class will probably get the benefit of it, whereas for people who are working class or come from disadvantaged areas, it might make no difference, and that made sense. We are looking to make a change here on foot of the citizens' assembly. The war on drugs has not worked. Everyone knows that...
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I thank Dr. Lambert for that. To go back to what Mr. Mullins said about supervised injection facilities, we hope that will go ahead and be positive. There is a facility planned for Cork. What can be learned from the experience in Dublin that will make the delivery of one for Cork go more quickly and smoothly?
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I will go back to Davina's story to highlight the gaps and cracks she fell through. What can be done to stop that happening?
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: There's a lady, Gillian Butler, who was in prison in the throes of addiction.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: The story was covered in "The Two Norries Podcast". Her partner, James Leonard, was also in prison and in addiction. Ms Butler's story is probably one of the most powerful stories I have heard because I come from the same area as her. I am the first person from Knocknaheeny to be elected to the Dáil. However, my experience growing up was completely different from Ms. Butlers because...
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: Does Dr. Healy wish to make a brief comment?
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: To come back to Mr. Mullins on housing, I was working with a lady in Cork who was refused housing because when the Garda check was done, she had a conviction for having cannabis for personal use. This is a woman with four children, three of whom are on the spectrum, and she was taken off the list for a year. Thankfully, she was housed recently, after a year or maybe a year-and-a-half's...
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I thank Mr. Mullins. Does Ms Kearney wish to comment?
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I have a final question for Dr. Lambert on the points she raised about 80% to 90% of people with mental health issues who have addiction issues, maybe changing the way we view people in the throes of addiction and what we could do. Ms Anna Quigley, who was here last week, said that, in the past, there was a much better integrated co-operative system between the HSE, the different...
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I thank the Chair.
- Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Oct 2024)
Thomas Gould: I accept.