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LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES WELCOME CITIZENS ASSEMBLY ON DRUGS
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People Before Profit representatives in Clondalkin Gino Kenny TD and Cllr Madeleine Johansson have welcomed the establishment of a Citizen’s Assembly on
Drugs. The Assembly will examine the wider issue of drugs and the impact on drug use on local communities.
The terms of reference
Cllr. Charlie O’Connor PC
Living
Stepping Stones Tree Planting At Kingswood Community Centre
state that the Assembly will “ 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 Citizen’s Assembly will consist of 99 randomly selected citizens and an independent chairperson.
Gino Kenny TD said: “I welcome the establishment of the Citizen’s Assembly on Drugs. The issue of drugs has had a huge impact on communities like Neilstown in Clondalkin where I’m from. I welcome the fact that the assembly will be discussing the possibility of policy changes in relation drugs and I hope that the recommendations will reflect the fact that current policy has failed. Not only has current policy failed to reduce the harm caused by drugs to individuals but it has also failed to make our communities safer. Other countries have started to change their policies on drugs towards a harm reduction approach as opposed to a criminal justice approach. Hopefully the outcomes of the Citizen’s Assembly will mean a change to the status quo in Ireland.”
Cllr Madeleine Johansson commented: “I have been on the board of the Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Task Force since 2019 and I have seen the great work that is done by projects in the area. But it has also convinced me that we need to change the way we think about drugs and start treating addiction as a health issue, not a criminal issue. If the money that was spent through the Criminal justice system was diverted into local communities and services it could make a big difference to peoples lives. I took part in the Citizens Assembly on a Directly Elected Mayor for Dublin and I found the process very enlightening and I want to wish the participants the best of luck.”
