Gary Gannon, An Cathaoirleach: We have apologies from Deputies Colm Burke and Devine. I am delighted to open the 19th public meeting of the joint committee and the third in our module on legal issues. Today we will explore civil society perspectives on legal, policy and operational responses to drug use. I welcome our witnesses. From UISCE drug support, Mr. Andy O'Hara is joined by Ms Annmarie Dunphy, advocacy worker, and Ms Suzanne Kahn, peer worker. From Family Addiction Recovery Ireland, FARI, Mr. Mick Mason is joined by Ms Aileen Malone, and from Youth RISE, Ms Ruby Rose Lawlor is joining us online.

I invite Mr. O'Hara to deliver his opening statement on behalf of UISCE.

Mr. Andy O'Hara: I thank the Cathaoirleach. As drug policy currently stands in Ireland, there is a long history of significant gaps between policy and practice. These gaps have had real consequences for the well-being of people who use drugs.

While Ireland has taken important steps in recognising substance use as a public health issue, progress in translating policy commitments into legislative and practical action has been slow and inconsistent.

In other areas of public health, we have seen how quickly legislation can move when there is political will. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the State implemented rapid legislative and policy changes to support a co-ordinated public health response. While substance use is not a viral pandemic, Ireland continues to experience among the highest rates of drug-related deaths in Europe. This represents a serious and ongoing public health crisis that should be met with the same urgency and commitment. Instead, we continue to see significant delays between evidence, policy commitments and implementation. A clear example is the pilot medically supervised injecting facility, which faced legislative and legal barriers from 2017 until 2024.

Ireland has committed to protecting equality and human rights through legislation such as the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014. The public sector duty requires public bodies to assess and address the equality and human rights impacts of their policies and services. However, there is limited evidence that this duty has been systematically applied within substance use policy.

It is also important to recognise that many of the harms associated with drug use are not caused by substances alone. Research consistently shows that structural factors such as poverty, homelessness, stigma, criminalisation and barriers to healthcare are major drivers of drug-related harm. Despite a strong and growing evidence base, these structural drivers have not been adequately addressed in Irish drug policy. In some cases, policies themselves can produce or intensify harm. This is increasingly described internationally as policy harm, when laws, systems or institutional practices create additional risks for people who use drugs. Recognising policy harm is essential if legislation is to genuinely support health, dignity and human rights....

[click here for the full debate]

• Opening statement, Andy O’Hara, Co‑ordinator, UISCE
• Opening statement, Michael Mason, Spokesperson, Family Addiction Recovery Ireland (FARI)
• Opening statement, Ruby Lawlor, Executive Director, Youth RISE