12 April 2007 Edition
Drugs crisis - an election issue
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has welcomed an initiative from The Dublin-based Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign to make the drugs crisis an election issue. Speaking on Wednesday, Ó Snodaigh said the electorate should be made aware of the Government’s failure to recognise the extent of the drugs crisis and match it with the appropriate priority and resources.
Ó Snodaigh said: “The intimidation of whole communities by the continuing explosion of drug-dealing, open drug-dealing and the related crime spree has never been effectively tackled. Walk into most pubs in Dublin today and if you look around carefully you will see the open drug dealing or abuse of cocaine, heroin or hash. You will see the drug abusers sniffing, snorting, injecting or smoking in the toilets, or sometimes blatantly in full public view. You will see them ringing for their deliveries and dealers’ cars pulling up outside to ply their trade.
“In May of last year Sinn Féin used its private members time to put forward a comprehensive motion in the Dáil that called for a multi-faceted approach to tackling the drugs crisis including increased funding for frontline services and the appointment of a Minister of State with the sole responsibility for drugs issues. Unfortunately the Government parties failed to support our motion.
“We put forward our motion because we realised that the Government had failed to recognise the scale of the drug problem in Ireland. I welcome The Citywide Campaign to make the drugs crisis an election issue. We must continue to highlight the extent of this problem even if the Government refuses to listen. The electorate should be made aware of the Government’s failure to deal with the drugs crisis.”
Ó Snodaigh said: “The intimidation of whole communities by the continuing explosion of drug-dealing, open drug-dealing and the related crime spree has never been effectively tackled. Walk into most pubs in Dublin today and if you look around carefully you will see the open drug dealing or abuse of cocaine, heroin or hash. You will see the drug abusers sniffing, snorting, injecting or smoking in the toilets, or sometimes blatantly in full public view. You will see them ringing for their deliveries and dealers’ cars pulling up outside to ply their trade.
“In May of last year Sinn Féin used its private members time to put forward a comprehensive motion in the Dáil that called for a multi-faceted approach to tackling the drugs crisis including increased funding for frontline services and the appointment of a Minister of State with the sole responsibility for drugs issues. Unfortunately the Government parties failed to support our motion.
“We put forward our motion because we realised that the Government had failed to recognise the scale of the drug problem in Ireland. I welcome The Citywide Campaign to make the drugs crisis an election issue. We must continue to highlight the extent of this problem even if the Government refuses to listen. The electorate should be made aware of the Government’s failure to deal with the drugs crisis.”