An Leas-Chathaoirleach: The topic of our meeting this morning is engagement on decriminalisation, depenalisation, diversion and legislation. The committee members are very interested to learn from the experience of others in respect of drugs policy, especially people who are central to that discussion. I welcome the witnesses joining us today. From the Irish Pharmacy Union, we have Mr. Tom Murray, president; Dr. Denis O'Driscoll; and Ms. Sinéad McCool, head of professional services. From the Irish College of General Practitioners, we have Dr Diarmuid Quinlan, medical director; Dr. Bernard Kenny, director of the addiction management in primary care programme; and Dr. Des Crowley.

He is the clinical lead for HSE addiction services and assistant director of substance misuse. Is that correct? The witnesses are all very welcome. Dr. Crowley is indicating that he wishes to speak.

Dr. Des Crowley: I am here in my capacity as academic lead for the ICGP, not the HSE.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach: Okay. That is perfect. He is then the academic director of addiction management in the primary care programme of the ICGP. Is that the correct title?

Dr. Des Crowley: It is the academic lead of the addiction management programme.

An Leas-Chathaoirleach: We have a list here for Dr. Crowley's biography. The witnesses are very welcome. I am grateful to them for agreeing to come before the committee today. I invite the representative of the Irish Pharmacy Union to give an opening statement. I am not sure who is going to lead on that.

Mr. Tom Murray: Gabhaim buíochas leis an choiste as ucht an gcuireadh teacht anseo. Tá mé sásta a bheith anseo chun an t-ábhar seo a phlé. The Irish Pharmacy Union is the professional and representative body for community pharmacists, with a membership of 2,300 pharmacists working in more than 1,800 community pharmacies throughout the country. IPU members are committed to delivering a quality, accessible, personal and professional service that puts the patient first and optimises society's health and well-being as their primary goal. Pharmacists are experts in medicines and have legal principles and ethical standards in place which govern pharmacists in the practice of their profession. At the core of this is that patient safety must come first and that legal and ethical standards are in place to ensure all pharmacists practise in a way that maintains and improves the health, well-being, care and safety of patients...

[Click here for the full debate on the Oireachtas website]