asked the Minister for Health if it is a fact that drug addiction has taken a firm hold in this country; if so, if he will outline briefly the action he proposes to take to deal with the unsatisfactory situation which has arisen in recent years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drug Addiction.
8.
I have no evidence to suggest that drug addiction has taken a firm hold in this country. I am satisfied, however, that there is a significant problem of drug abuse which is confined almost exclusively to Dublin.
I am at present considering interim recommendations submitted to me by the Working Party on Drug Abuse, established under the auspices of my Department. I will shortly be issuing a summary of these recommendations, together with an indication of the action already taken to deal with the problem of drug abuse and the further steps proposed arising out of the recommendations of the Working Party.
Surely the Minister will agree that drug addiction is becoming a very serious problem in this city and in other parts of the country, that it is on the increase and that there have been over 80 raids in this city alone on dispensaries and stores within the last year? Surely, the Minister is also aware that drugs are being freely peddled in clubs and in schools in this city? I should like to ask the Minister could anything be done for the unfortunate people who have been "hooked" on drugs? I realise that he did not read yesterday's paper but if he had read it the Minister would have seen where a district justice did not know of a home in the country to which he could send a boy of 19. Would the Minister not consider having homes or hospitals where these unfortunate people could be treated? The worst place to which they could be sent is jail.
The Deputy is just indulging in propaganda. He should be already aware of the steps being taken; that there is a special garda drug squad operating in Dublin, that we have taken measures to prevent the stealing of drugs from hospitals or dispensaries; that the security for drugs is now, I should think, pretty effective. We are introducing a Poisons Bill. The legislation will come before the Dáil as soon as possible to deal with the control of those types of drugs not subject to control under present legislation. We have an out-patient advisory treatment on a 24 hour basis and a residential unit such as requested by the Deputy is being established at St. Brendan's Hospital, an in-patient unit for drug addicts. Apart from that, we will be in touch with the medical profession on every matter concerned with over-prescribing of certain kinds of drugs, the use of amphetamine drugs and so forth. We have also advised the various Departments concerned on the problems of drug smuggling. Now, in addition to that, in a week or so there will be further recommendations published by the Drug Abuse Committee on which we will have to take further action.
Would the Minister not agree that the Government have been very remiss in this whole unfortunate problem? Would the Minister not agree that I raised this question in this House in October, 1966 and was told what the Minister has told me today, that it was only propaganda? Would the Minister not agree that at that time I asked the Government to do something then to nip the problem in the bud and will the Minister——
This is an argument rather than a question.
I am asking the Minister would he not agree that the Government have been remiss in that three years have passed and they have done nothing about this problem.
May I inquire whether the Minister has had consultations with the Minister for Justice as a result of which the Garda Síochána have been suitably communicated with in this matter?
We have, yes. There is a special drug squad attached to the Garda Síochána which deals with drug abuses. In reply to the Deputy, may I make it perfectly clear that drug abuse and alcoholism are subject to characteristics of modern civilisation which it would take me half an hour to describe in detail so that, as the Deputy is well aware, no Government can stop drug addiction. It is increasing everywhere. All we can do is to try to limit it as much as possible. I would assure the Deputy that I have given instruction to the officers of my Department that in the course of the next two years we are not going to be in arrears in tackling this position as, quite evidently, some countries in Europe and abroad that I will not name have been. We will do our best but I do not promise to stop an increase in drug addiction because it arises from causes not subject to absolute control by the national or the local authorities, as the Deputy well knows.
Three valuable years have been lost.
Surely the emphasis should be on bringing to court those who are peddling drugs rather than those who have become addicted to them? What progress has been made in that direction?
As I have already said, we are introducing legislation which will make it possible for us to control the issue and the use and the importation of certain drugs not at present on the list—amphetamine drugs. We do have control over the issue and use and peddling of the hard drugs such as heroin but the use of hard drugs in this country is not a very great problem. The main difficulty is the question of the illegal use of cannabis, marijuana and amphetamines. We are dealing with this as rapidly as we can and legislation will have to come before the Dáil. I have no way of bringing it about by order. The Bill is being prepared. It is a very complex Bill which covers a wide variety of matters concerning food and drugs. It will come before the Dáil at as early a date as possible. I hope to have sympathetic consideration of it by Members of the House—including the very difficult question of to what extent the Garda Síochána should be given additional powers in dealing with the discovery of the use of drugs.
Question No. 9.
May I ask a question?
I have called Question No. 9.