Results 401-420 of 1,106,349 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh OR speaker:Gary Gannon OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Anne Rabbitte OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín OR speaker:Alan Kelly OR speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan OR speaker:Eamon Ryan OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Mark Ward OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Patrick O'Donovan OR speaker:Fergus O'Dowd OR speaker:Robert Troy OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl4 OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke)

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

Mark Ward: So it is similar.

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

Mark Ward: On that as well, we have a big problem in Dublin with drug debt intimidation. We have talked about it at the committee before. The DRIVE project has been started here. Is there anything similar in Limerick? What is the experience there with drug debt intimidation?

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

Mark Ward: Is Limerick experiencing the same level of intimidation as Dublin?

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

Mark Ward: Going back to the drug treatment court, does drug debt intimidation come up when people are accessing that court? Has that been experienced at all?

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

Mark Ward: I thank the Chair.

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

David Stanton: I am between two committees so I will listen for a while again. I read the documentation the committee forwarded to me. I will just listen. Senator Ruane has done a lot more than I have on this issue.

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

Mark Ward: I have to refute some of what was said. I was at another meeting but I caught the end of some allegations against Sinn Féin.

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

Mark Ward: There will be questions at the end.

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

Mark Ward: Our position was misconstrued and not given correctly. I want to put the record straight.

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

Mark Ward: There was a statement made that there was nothing at the Sinn Féin Ard-Fheis in respect of decriminalisation. I point out to Senator Ruane that we had a very comprehensive motion at the Ard-Fheis, motion No. 94 - I wrote the motion so I know it - that accepts all the recommendations of the citizens' assembly, including decriminalisation of drug use. Senator Ruane referred to people...

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

Mark Ward: There is an argument that not everybody found in simple possession needs to go through a health-led approach. They may be using drugs recreationally and may not have any other problems, in the same way that people use alcohol at the weekends. Is it a waste of resources to direct people in that cohort to a health-led approach? That seems to be the conversation at the moment, that everybody...

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

Mark Ward: That is fine. I thank Ms Brennan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: Apologies have been received from Deputies Tully and Feighan and Sorcha Eastwood MP, Dáire Hughes MP and John Finucane MP. On behalf of the committee, I welcome our guests to our meeting today: Ms Andrée Murphy, deputy director of Relatives for Justice; Ms Orla O'Connor, director, Ms Kate Mitchell, head of development and policy, and Ms Rachel Coyle, head of campaigns and policy,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: The addresses from the witnesses were very powerful. I thank them for the hard work they have been doing in reaching out to people in their communities. I have been very impressed in particular by what the witnesses collectively say about the need for consent and representation - gender and otherwise. If we are to build a new Ireland, the issue that goes to the heart of the matter is that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: If the witnesses wish, they may reply to any of those comments at any stage. Senator Black has another function she needs to go to and asked if I could give her the Fine Gael space.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is a huge outbreak of racism. It starts in the political domain. They are using coded words and gathering negative momentum and causing strife and trouble. We are in a different Ireland now. The potential for negative outcomes is growing, certainly visibly on the streets and in our political discourse. We need to deal with it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is a key point. The difficulty is that if we have a Border poll before the time is right, without having public buy-in, it will be hugely divisive. The consequences for relationships between people, whatever they might be before that, could be catastrophic. A negative outcome risks tearing everything apart again. That is the difficulty I see. It is so important to get it right....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Women and Constitutional Change: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Oct 2024)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have been given great food for thought by the witnesses. They reached the kernel of the issue in their contributions. We hope to have a report very soon. We will invite the witnesses to its launch, where, I am sure, they will want to comment on it.