People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny has accused Fine Gael of ‘scaremongering’ on the decriminalising of drugs.
Deputy Kenny said that despite almost half a century of criminalisation Irish people are now among the fourth highest users of cocaine globally.
“Fine Gael TDs have been pursuing their fake war with Fianna Fáil by expressing outrage about their apparent support for decriminalising drugs,” he said.
“This is grossly hypocritical as Fine Gael had TDs on the Special Dáil Committee on Drug Use.
“Not one of those TDs voted against the recommendation of the joint committee which proposed to decriminalize the personal use of drugs.
“This, of course, is entirely different from possessing drugs for sale or supply.
“We have had 47 years of a criminalisation policy and it simply has not worked.
“The use of Class A drugs has dramatically increased in this country.
“A UN report, notes that Irish people are among the fourth highest users of cocaine globally, with 2.4% of the population using it at some stage.
“We need a different approach – one that leads to a harm reduction strategy when dependency on these drugs becomes a major problem.
“Decriminalisation allows individuals to come forward to medical authorities to deal with any problems they have.
“Treating people as criminals has driven drug use underground.”