Vol. 13 No. 27
I move:—
"That Seanad Eireann approves of the International Convention relating to Dangerous Drugs, signed at Geneva on the 19th day of February, 1925, a copy of which was laid on the Table of the Seanad on the 18th day of June, 1930, and recommends the Executive Council to take the necessary steps for its ratification."
I second the motion.
In this matter we are simply asked to assent to the ratification of this Convention in pursuance of a policy that has been announced and has been favoured at Geneva. It has very much the same importance in relation to this State as the protocol with regard to slavery, the ratification of which was passed in this House yesterday. We have very little to do with slavery, and we have very little to do as a State with this matter of opium or dangerous drugs. When these matters were raised at Geneva last year a certain delegate whose State had no great concern with slavery asked whether it was the policy of the League that States not directly concerned should nevertheless proceed to ratify these Conventions. In reply to that it was very definitely claimed that considerable moral support would be lent to the whole activities of the League if the States not directly concerned nevertheless took the trouble to pass these Conventions. This does not affect us in any great degree. It puts us in line with the forward nations in regard to the suppression of dangerous drugs. Our legislation is almost in line with them in this matter and with what is required by the Convention.
There will, however, be required a certain amendment of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1925 so as to give effect to certain definitions of raw opium, medicinal opium, and things like that, and in order to deal with the question of the export of raw opium—a matter which really does not arise here, but in connection with which our legislation must be brought into line. The reports and statistics referred to in Chapter VII of the Convention have to be forwarded at stated periods. The Minister for Justice in this State is to be the authority for collating whatever information we have and forwarding it at stated periods to the Central Board. The Minister for Justice has agreed to have himself named for that purpose, and has agreed to promote whatever legislation is necessary in order absolutely to carry out the Convention. I ask the House to pass this, not because there has been any scandal in connection with the matter here, or that there has been any traffic of an undesirable type here, but rather because we want to give our moral support to the whole world outlook on this question. Whatever deficiencies there are in our legislation will be remedied as soon as possible, but it is not necessary to have that legislation passed before the Convention is ratified.
