Results 421-440 of 1,032,916 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:David Stanton)

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the witnesses for being here and for their input. I was Chair of the justice committee in 2015. We visited Portugal and we compiled a report on the model in use there. In our report, we asked the Government of the day to do further research into that model. Unfortunately, not a great deal has happened in the interim. Ms Lawlor referred to the regulation of all drugs. Professor...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: Correct me if I am wrong, but the picture Ms Lawlor is painting is that somebody could go into a pharmacy, ask for any drug, answer a few questions, pay the money and walk out. Is she saying that any drug could be purchased in this way?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: Is that with no restrictions whatsoever on the type of drug?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I thank Ms Lawlor. I will tease out this further with respect to the amount that people could buy and whether they could go from one pharmacy to another and get as much as they needed. There are other issues around that. I totally agree with the other issue that Ms Lawlor brought up here with respect to the Garda youth diversion programme. I set in place the youth justice strategy which...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I thank Professor Stevens for clarifying that. I had heard that there was a change. I was not sure what it was. Can Professor Stevens bring us up to date with what they are doing in Portugal at present with respect to this? What model are they using?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses again. This has been a long session and listening to the witnesses has been enlightening. I have picked up a lot from their contributions and I thank them for that. To follow on from Deputy Ward, some of the communities that we represent have been destroyed by drugs. There is a fear factor among those communities around decriminalisation or legalisation. The...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: Following on from that, Professor Stevens said earlier that reducing penalties for drug possession does not necessarily lead to an increase in use. It is, therefore, a net positive as it reduces the harm and cost of criminalisation while not increasing the harm of drug use. Many of the points the professor has made today have been led by research. Is that right?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: I thank Professor Stevens. In her opening statement, Ms Eastwood stated, "Many governments wrongly believe that decriminalising drug possession will lead to an increase in prevalence. This is not the case." That is following on from what Professor Stevens just said. Is that correct?

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: My final question is for Ms Lawlor. In her submission, she stated: "The impact of criminal records on children and young people is devastating, resulting in stigma and discrimination, diminished access to education and housing, reduced prospects for future employment, and negative impacts on family relationships." Reading about those impacts is shocking.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: I thank Ms Lawlor.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation of Drugs: Discussion (27 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. I looked at Ms Eastwood's paper "A Quiet Revolution" and, in particular, found interesting the findings from Australia on diversion, the reduction in reoffending and the increased employment opportunities that became available through diversion. Will she comment on that?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jun 2024)

Gino Kenny: I want to see all hostages released. We all want to see peace and a settlement in the Middle East. The Minister may not agree with this, but those resisting Israeli occupation in Gaza and the West Bank have a right to engage with the Israeli Defense Forces. They have a right because they are being occupied, murdered and slaughtered. It is an incredible statistic, but since 7 October $23...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I have repeatedly condemned the bombardment of Gaza. We in Ireland have taken a number of steps to move towards a political pathway and a ceasefire. We have worked with the Arab partners like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Qatar and others to try to develop a peace process and a proper peace initiative. They have published that. We have engaged with them and also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Connolly: We are way over time.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland has been steadfast in supporting the courts and upholding their jurisdiction.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Passport Services

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Matt Carthy: 3. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of passport applications on hand for more than three, six, nine and 12 months, respectively; and the measures the Passport Office is enacting to ensure the speedy processing of all applications during peak summer months. [27473/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Matt Carthy: I acknowledge the tremendous efforts of the Passport Office staff, particularly at this time of the year. Will the Minister tell me the number of passport applications on hand for various lengths of time? What measures are his Department and the Passport Office enacting to ensure there is a speedy processing of all applications during these peak summer months?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the performance of the Passport Office and the passport service. The passport service has issued more than 625,000 passports this year. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times with the majority of adult online renewal applications issuing within two working days. There currently...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (27 Jun 2024)

Matt Carthy: I have put on the record of this House on a number of occasions that when the passport service works, it works incredibly well. We have all heard people describe their surprise with the speed at which a renewed passport in particular arrives through their letterbox. At the same time, we have to acknowledge that there are incidences where there are problems. The particular issue about which...