Taoiseach: ‘Ireland faces cocaine epidemic’

Cocaine use in Ireland has reached “epidemic” proportions, the Taoiseach has warned.

Making the stark observation during a Government visit to Japan last month, Micheál Martin also highlighted the serious consequences of illegal drug use.

At the beginning of last year, the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use called for the wholesale liberalisation of laws on the possession of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, heroin, and opioids.

‘Drugs kill’

Martin described the impact of the rise in use on younger people as “very worrying”, citing health complications and “behavioural traits” connected with taking cocaine.

Ireland had witnessed “terrible tragedies” as a result of people using illegal drugs, he explained, adding: “Drugs kill people and kill people pretty quickly.”

Prior to the Taoiseach’s comments, Senators clashed in the Seanad over the Government’s ‘health-led’ approach to drugs.

Senator Rónán Mullen said its drugs programme was tantamount to decriminalisation, while Fianna Fáil claimed its coalition Government had adopted a ‘compassionate response’ to the problem.

Soft on drugs

Mullen accused the Government of being “soft on drug sale and usage” and said that the so-called health-led approach was “a code phrase for decriminalisation or even legalisation”.

He added: “I do not object to health interventions for addicts but we should all be clear that our society, especially vulnerable young people, needs the support and protection of the law.

“Sometimes I get the impression that we do not care about young people anymore and that we are so sold on some principle of autonomy that we do not want there to be any guardrails in society.”

Senator Paul Daly defended Fianna Fáil’s manifesto pledge to “decriminalising certain drugs for personal use” as an appropriate response to the problem. Fellow party member Senator Mary Fitzpatrick dismissed Mullen’s concerns as “ignorant”.

Decriminalisation

Since January, addicts have been allowed to inject illegal drugs at a Government-sanctioned ‘shooting gallery’ in Dublin.

The first of its kind in Ireland, the city-centre facility is open seven days a week and enables users to take drugs without fear of prosecution.

Centre CEO Eddie Mullins said: “People who use our services every day — for needles or for crack pipes — are carrying drugs when they go in, and they’re carrying drugs when they leave. The only difference now is that they consume their heroin or cocaine on the facility.”

The Irish Examiner described it as “the only building in Ireland where you will have to show you have illegal drugs in order to get in”.