Government proposes setting up drugs body

Draft proposals on the setting up of an independent expert body on the drugs issue will come before the Government shortly, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation told the House. Dr McDaid was replying to Mr Tony Gregory (Independent, Dublin Central), who raised the matter during a debate on a report from the European Affairs Committee on aspects of the drugs issue. The report was introduced by the committee chairman, Mr Bernard Durkan (FG, Kildare North). Mr Gregory said he accepted what the Minister had to say, "but, unfortunately, we have been listening to this from a variety of ministerial sources" and it was a "painfully slow" process.

The report, Mr Gregory added, referred to the "glaring absence" of any independent expert group in Ireland with the necessary expertise to provide an overview of the totality of the problem. It noted that Ireland appeared to be the only EU state without such an independent advisory council, adding that its establishment was an absolute priority for a satisfactory policy response to the crisis.