Question of confidence in Minister following dismissive response to landmark drugs report
Question of confidence in Minister following dismissive response to landmark drugs report - The Labour Party
• Question of confidence in the Minister if she will not engage with the evidence contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee report.
• Minister is misrepresenting the Citizens’ Assembly report and conflating decriminalisation with legalisation.
Labour Health Spokesperson and member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use, Marie Sherlock TD, has expressed her dismay at comments made by the Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD.
Deputy Sherlock said:
“I am frankly dismayed and deeply disappointed by the Minister’s comments, in which she outright rejected changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act and misrepresented the views of the Citizens’ Assembly. It is disgraceful that the Minister would reject key recommendations of the report before the Department, the Cabinet and indeed the Dáil have even had the opportunity to debate or consider all 161 recommendations in full.
“The Minister simply cannot have formed a considered view on a 134-page report in the space of a single day. This is not how good public policy is made.
“The Minister appears to be very confused about the difference between legalisation and decriminalisation. The repeal of Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 is about decriminalisation, with the clear objective of removing stigma and shame while supporting a comprehensive, health-led approach. The evidence is clear: a health-led approach cannot succeed if we continue to criminalise people experiencing addiction.
“For the Minister to misrepresent the views of the Citizens’ Assembly in order to support her own position is incredibly disingenuous. The Citizens’ Assembly was clear in recommending a comprehensive, health-led approach, with the objectives of health diversion, dissuasion and decriminalisation. We have been hearing about the so-called diversion scheme, which is simply an adult caution scheme, for years, yet even that has failed to materialise.
“I regret to say that if we do not have a Minister who is willing to engage with 161 recommendations, a 134-page report agreed by political parties across the Oireachtas, and hundreds of hours of committee hearings and expert evidence, then serious questions arise about whether she can continue in the role.
“I would, however, much prefer that the Minister engage substantively with all 161 recommendations in the report rather than dismissing them out of hand.”