The Taoiseach: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 15, inclusive, together. 

The Programme for Government: Our Shared Future committed to establishing four citizens’ assemblies on the following topics: biodiversity loss; the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin; drugs use; and the future of education… The Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use concluded its meetings in October and submitted its report to the Oireachtas in December. The report was published on 25 January and the Dáil and Seanad will now refer the report to an Oireachtas committee for consideration. I recently met with Paul Reid, the chairman of that assembly, who briefed me on the work done. I thank him and, indeed, all those who took part in the citizens’ assembly and the secretariat for their participation and commitment to the task.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú: Regarding the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use, we are very glad it happened and welcome its final report. We have been over and back in this House in relation to the failure of the war on drugs. We all know the reality we are dealing with, particularly in disadvantaged areas that are under the cosh of criminal gangs and drug-debt intimidation. We all know that an awful lot of this is fed by those who have resources and are out on Friday and Saturday nights taking cocaine. We have to deal with the realities of the world we are in and we need to do something better than what we have been doing to date. I accept that we must measure what we do vis-à-vis other states but we must make sure there is no hold-up. I ask the Taoiseach to give us an indication of the timeline for getting the committee up and running and getting from there to action and legislation….

Deputy Gino Kenny: It is good news that a special committee is being set up to consider the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use. That is a good development about which I have a number of questions. First, when will that committee commence and, second, how long will it go on for? If it goes on for a protracted period, it could run into the next general election and then nothing will happen. I hope the special committee will be short-lived, running for only three or four months. That would at least give the Government some time to consider its recommendations and any possible legislative changes based on those recommendations.

The Taoiseach: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, I understand what he is saying about complex and chaotic cases. I have come across them myself but as every case is different, it is difficult to comment without knowing the circumstances. I know the Deputy appreciates that.

A number of Deputies raised the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use which was discussed at Cabinet today. The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, brought a memo to Cabinet establishing a dedicated committee, which will be made up, if I remember correctly, of 14 members, both Senators and TDs. The Independent Members will be asked to nominate a chairperson because it is their turn in the rotation. We expect it to be up and running next month or certainly no later than April. There are some technicalities around that. The committee is being given seven months to carry out its work and produce a report, but it does not have to take seven months. It could be done more quickly. It was pointed out to me by my staff who were involved in the citizens' assembly and by the chairman, Paul Reid, that because all of the different interest groups and experts appeared before the assembly, it is not necessarily the case that the special committee should have to do that all over again. Ultimately, it is going to be a decision for the members and the Chair as to whether they want to have everyone come in again or whether they would be happy enough to get it done in one day. That is their call, not ours.

What I would say in relation to the three takeaways from the report is that the chairman, Paul Reid, was very clear on these things. He said that we should have a dedicated committee and not just refer the report to the health or justice committee because it is about health and justice and a lot more. That is why we decided to go ahead with a dedicated committee. Another takeaway is that we should develop an Irish model that works for Irish circumstances and not try to copy a model from any other jurisdiction. He was also very keen to point out that while the citizens' assembly recommended decriminalisation and a health-led approach, it made many other recommendations as well. He was keen that this not just be about the issue of decriminalisation, how that works and what it would mean, important as that is.

Deputy Boyd Barrett spoke about children who are in difficulty needing someone to go to and I know from my visits to schools and from talking to young people in primary and secondary schools that many schools have a school chaplain. In the past, that would have been a religious person but that is now normally not the case; it is a teacher with special training. We have increased the number of guidance counsellors too. I had a chance to visit Foróige services and Jigsaw services which are really good services, where they exist, but I appreciate that it may not be the case that every student in every school has access to the supports he or she needs.

On school visits, I do a lot of them too and I have to say when I visit primary and secondary schools around the country I am so impressed with how much education has evolved and now much more interactive it is now than it was when I was in school. There is so much more technology and engagement now. Technology being available to schools is really of huge and crucial importance.

I do not know if inspectors talk to students as part of carrying out inspections but I think they should do. If it is not done, it sounds like a good idea. Any time one inspects a service, one would often ask the service users what they think so if that is not done as a matter of course, I would agree with the Deputy that it ought to be done because it is really important to hear the voice of students when it comes to the quality of their education. It is their education in the end…