Results 401-420 of 1,078,643 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Pauline Tully OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:Cathal Crowe OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Neasa Hourigan OR speaker:Seán Fleming OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Seán Haughey OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:Verona Murphy OR speaker:Mary Butler) in 'Committee meetings'

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: And they will still receive care.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: I have a number of questions about the drug treatment court. How many times a year does the court sit?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: It sits 48 times a year, therefore. Is that correct?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: How many people tend to come before the court on a given Wednesday?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Does it tend to be the same 20 people every week or does it change?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: It is a very good concept. The first time I saw it was in Philly McMahon's very good documentary, which showed the positive sides of diversion, education and so forth. My understanding is that the programme tries to separate the issues of dependency, sanctioning and the person. What is the interaction between the judge and the person who is there? What happens?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Can the judge issue any sanction against that person at any time?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: I do not mean a criminal sanction. Can the judge say they feel the person is not progressing in the way they should be and that this court may not be suitable for the person?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: What does progress look like? If someone has problematic use of a substance, what does progress look like in getting to the gold standard, the gold medal as such?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Would the drug treatment court deal with a cohort of people who may not necessarily use cannabis every day but will use it frequently in the course of a week?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: The citizens' assembly made recommendations on diversion. If somebody uses drugs but their use is not problematic, it is a waste of State resources to tell them they have a problem, even though they may not have a problem. There are lots of people who use drugs but do not have a problem with substance use. We need to have a further debate on drug abuse and drug use. If people want to use...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: That is a good point. We will move on to the next round of questions. Does Deputy Stanton wish to make a contribution?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: I never offered Ms Brennan my congratulations on her new role. I am very impressed she came to the committee straight after being appointed. I have a few questions on how our witnesses navigate assisting more vulnerable users, such as women and people from the Travelling community. Ms Foley may wish to respond on this. There has been a large increase in international persons in my area....

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: To be clear, the court has translation services set up that it can access?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: It the standard Courts Service translation services.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: We had some brilliant contributors last week who talked about the specific challenges women face when they find themselves in addiction, often around accessing services while having to deal with things like childcare. There is often a complicating factor in that they might themselves be the victim of domestic or sexual abuse or trauma from childhood, although that is not gender-specific. Is...

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Who does it link in with on those issues?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: What Mr. Duffin like to come in on that?

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Neasa Hourigan: Yes. Not to put too fine a point on it but not only has the number of people on the streets increased, but they are often people who do not have English as their first language. I know from my area that, whether we like it or not, homeless services and other services are under increasing pressure.

Committee on Drugs Use: A Health-Led Approach: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Gino Kenny: Our next speaker is Deputy Ward.