Home > Dáil Éireann Debate. Citizens' assembly on drugs use: motion.

[Oireachtas] Dáil Éireann Debate. Citizens' assembly on drugs use: motion. (21 Feb 2023)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2...


Hildegarde Naughton I move: That Dáil Éireann:

 

approves the establishment of a Citizens' Assembly, to be known as the "Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use", to consider the legislative, policy and operational changes the State could make to significantly reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs on individuals, families, communities and wider society, and to bring forward recommendations in this regard; the Assembly shall consider, inter alia:

 

— the drivers, prevalence, attitudes and trends in relation to drugs use in Irish society;

— the harmful impacts of drugs use on individuals, families, communities and wider society;

— best practice in promoting and supporting rehabilitation and recovery from drug addiction;

— the lived experience of young people and adults affected by drugs use, as well as their families and communities;

— international, European Union, national and local perspectives on drugs use;

— the efficacy of current strategic, policy and operational responses to drugs use;

— international best practice and practical case studies in relation to reducing supply, demand and harm, and increasing resilience, health and well-being; and

— the opportunities and challenges, in an Irish context, of reforming legislation, strategy, policy and operational responses to drugs use, taking into consideration the implications for the health, criminal justice and education systems; and

 

notes that the Citizens' Assembly shall:

 

— consist of 100 members in total, including 99 randomly-selected members of the general public, and an independent Chairperson to be nominated by the Taoiseach; — preclude from membership any individual who is either:

i. under 18 years of age;

ii.not normally resident in the State;

iii. a politician currently serving in either House of the Oireachtas, in local government or in the European Parliament;

iv. a lobbyist as provided for under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015; or

v. a person unwilling to adhere to public health measures as prescribed by Government and public health authorities from time to time;

 

— hold its inaugural meeting in April 2023 and conclude its work and submit a report to the Oireachtas by the end of 2023;

 

— have flexibility to determine a revised timeline for completion of its work in the event of extraordinary circumstances delaying or disrupting its work;

 

— submit a report and recommendation(s) on the matters before it to the Houses of the Oireachtas. On receipt, the Houses of the Oireachtas shall refer the report to a Committee of both Houses for consideration; this Committee will, in turn, bring its conclusions to the Houses of the Oireachtas for debate. Furthermore, the Government shall, on consideration of the report from the Citizens' Assembly, provide in the Houses of the Oireachtas a response to each recommendation of the Assembly, setting out a timeframe for implementing those recommendations which it accepts;

 

— have a Secretary and secretariat staff assigned to support the effective governance and operation of Assembly meetings, to support the Chairperson and members in their roles, and to support the drafting of the final report;

 

— agree its own rules of procedure and work programme to enable the effective conduct of its business in as economical and efficient a manner as possible;

 

— operate in an open and transparent manner, including by live streaming public proceedings;

 

— determine all issues by a majority of the votes of members present and voting, other than the Chairperson, who will have a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes;

 

— develop innovative programming to feature individuals and communities directly affected by drugs-related issues, and those working in front-line service delivery;

 

— engage subject matter experts to inform its deliberations, including as invited speakers or as members of an Expert Advisory Group;

 

— engage with stakeholders and the general public, including through a public consultation process, and by inviting select speakers to participate in meetings of the Assembly;

 

— make payment of an honorarium to the Chairperson at a per diem rate to be sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform; and

 

— make payment to the members of the Citizens' Assembly and members of the Expert Advisory Group of a nominal honorarium to recognise their civic service.

 

Throughout Ireland, individuals, families and communities are grappling with the harmful impact of illicit drugs use. Directly or indirectly, illicit drugs use affects all of us. No matter what our gender, age or socioeconomic background, whether we live in rural or urban areas, no one is immune from the risks or harm caused by illicit drugs use.

 

Some of the harmful effects of drug use are hidden and opaque. More often, they stare us in the face. We see the devastating toll addiction takes on people's lives. We see the needless and often preventable loss of life through overdose and disease transmission. We see the impact of drug-related violence and intimidation in communities throughout the country.

 

Too many families have lost loved ones through addiction. I believe there is a strong consensus in this House and among the public that the State and society generally need to respond far more effectively to the problems caused by illicit drugs use. We need more lives saved, more people in treatment and rehabilitation, and more people in recovery. We need to reduce harm, reduce supply, reduce demand, and increase resilience, health and well-being in society.

 

The programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to progressing the establishment of four citizens' assemblies on biodiversity loss, the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin, the future of education and drugs use. The first two of these, the Dublin Citizens' Assembly and the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, have now concluded their work. The Dublin Citizens' Assembly submitted its final report and recommendations to the Oireachtas in December 2022. The Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss held its final meeting on 21 January, and its report and recommendations will be submitted to the Oireachtas in the coming weeks.

 

At its meeting last week, the Government agreed to the establishment of a citizens' assembly on drugs use. As Minister of State with responsibility for public health, well-being and the national drugs strategy I am pleased to bring forward in this House the motion approving the establishment of the citizens' assembly on drugs use. The terms of reference for the assembly have been designed so that they are sufficiently well defined to provide a clear focus for the assembly. At the same time, they are not so prescriptive as to inhibit the scope of the assembly to define its work programme as it deems appropriate. We have learnt from the experience of previous assemblies that the terms of reference should not be expressed in an overly precise way. Every citizens' assembly needs discretion and flexibility to define and organise its work programme as it deems appropriate. I believe the proposed terms of reference for the citizens' assembly on drugs use, as set out in the motion before this House, provide sufficient scope for the assembly to determine its work programme, consider all issues it deems relevant to drugs use in Ireland, and deliver carefully considered recommendations to the Oireachtas.

 

The terms of reference state that the assembly shall consider and make recommendations in respect of changes the State might make to reduce significantly the harmful impact of drugs use on individuals, families, communities and wider society. In its considerations the assembly will be asked to take into account the implications for the health, justice and education systems. An important part of the assembly's work will be in developing an understanding of the lived experience of individuals, families and communities impacted by illicit drugs use. The voices of those most affected by illicit drugs use must be heard if the assembly is to deliver on its mandate. Alongside this, the members will be asked to consider a range of perspectives on drugs use both from a national viewpoint but also from experiences across Europe and internationally. It will also consider the efficacy of current responses to drugs use and best practice in promoting and supporting rehabilitation and recovery from drug addiction.

 

Ireland is widely regarded as a world leader in deliberative democracy. Citizens' assemblies have become an important part of the Irish democratic process, and the recommendations of previous citizens' assemblies have influenced significant changes in how we in this State live our lives, including through constitutional change, legislative change and changes in the design and implementation of policy. It is clear to me that a citizens' assembly on drugs use can make an invaluable contribution to inform the Oireachtas and Government in our response to the challenging issue of drugs use. The citizens' assembly can also make a valuable contribution to a wider societal debate on drugs policy.

 

There are differing viewpoints in this House, among front-line service providers and among the public about the most appropriate way to respond to the challenges posed by illicit drugs use. The Government has set out its approach in the national drugs strategy, which emphasises the importance of a health-led approach. In recent years, several Oireachtas committees have considered issues around drugs use, and I expect Oireachtas Members will follow with interest the progress of the citizens' assembly.

 

The assembly will engage comprehensively with professional bodies, stakeholders, representative groups and the public as well as national and international experts. It is important the assembly is afforded the time and space to undertake its deliberations carefully and comprehensively.

 

The citizens' assembly should, and must, operate entirely independently of Government and the Oireachtas. There is, of course, a reporting relationship between the citizens' assembly and the Oireachtas. The motion before the House today proposes that the assembly should report in the first instance to the Houses of the Oireachtas, which, on receipt of the final report of the assembly, will refer the report to the relevant Oireachtas committee for consideration. In addition, it is proposed that the Government will provide, in the Houses of the Oireachtas, a response to the recommendations of the assembly and an indication of a proposed course of action, where appropriate. The Dáil will debate the report of the assembly and the Government's response.

 

The citizens' assembly on drugs use will include an independent chairperson and 99 members of the public selected using a random selection process. Building on the successful experience last year, eligibility for membership will extend beyond those enrolled on the electoral register to include all residents in the State.

 

This opens the citizens' assembly up to non-Irish residents and others who, for whatever reason, are not enrolled on the electoral register.

 

Recruitment will be done by a postal campaign, with 20,000 randomly selected households invited to apply to participate in the assembly. Members will be selected on the basis of gender, age and geographic location to ensure the citizens' assembly is as representative as possible of wider Irish society. We have learned much from the experience of previous assemblies, and following the use of this process last year, I am confident this approach will continue to optimise the profile of the citizens' assembly.

 

The timeline for the citizens' assembly is ambitious but achievable. Its inaugural meeting will take place in April, with the assembly scheduled to conclude its work and submit its report by the end of this year.

 

Successive citizens' assemblies have demonstrated how this unique exercise in deliberative democracy enhances Ireland's democratic system. Involving members of the public in considering and proposing solutions to complex societal challenges makes an important contribution to the deliberative processes of the Government and the Oireachtas. It also enhances the public sphere, informing wider conversations and societal debates about matters of public importance.

 

The House will join me in wishing the citizens' assembly well in undertaking the important work it is being asked to do. Molaim an tairscint seo don Teach. I commend the motion to the House.

 

[For the full debate, click this link to the Oireachtas website]

Item Type
Dail Debates
Publication Type
Irish-related
Drug Type
Substances (not alcohol/tobacco), Cannabis
Intervention Type
Policy
Date
21 February 2023
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