andMr. Governey asked the Minister for Health if he will introduce legislation in line with that of all the EEC countries to control the sale of medicines, especially in the light of public anxiety about the problem of drug-taking; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I presume that the question relates to control of the retail sale of medicines.

A draft directive on the harmonisation of national laws in this field within the EEC is at present under consideration by the member states and the acceding countries. However, until the terms of the directive have been finally agreed it would be premature to anticipate the changes which may be necessary in the existing statutory controls on the sale of medicines in this country to enable the directive to be complied with.

At present in this country the retail sale of a wide range of medicines is restricted to qualified persons, such as pharmaceutical chemists. The statutory basis for these controls is contained in various enactments—The Poisons Acts, The Dangerous Drugs Act and The Medical Preparations (Control of Sale) Regulations, 1966, made under the Health Acts.

Is the Minister aware that, apart from the desirability of bringing our medicines legislation into line with EEC thinking, there is great public concern about the unrestricted sale of an enormous range of non-scheduled medical preparations and that this has grave implications particularly in the light of the public concern about drug taking? Would the Minister not agree that it is a matter of extreme urgency to initiate the necessary legislation without further delay?

I do not agree that it is extremely urgent.

Would the Minister agree, with regard to what has happened in respect of drug taking, that he should take some steps as early as possible to bring forward the Second Stage of the Misuse of Drugs Bill, 1972 which has been on the Order Paper for some months?

That does not relate to this question at all. The next Bill deals with penalties for possession of drugs. We are already in advance of European countries in regard to the control of the issue of dangerous drugs in that, I think, we are still the only country in Europe that has forbidden the sale of amphetamines except through one hospital authority. Heroin and all the other drugs are controlled in a manner that is as strict as that on the Continent.

Surely the Minister must be aware that our drug legislation is the poorest in Europe and that the problem is on the increase? The statement he has just made is totally ridiculous.

I do not accept that at all. Drug abuse is absolutely minimal in this country compared with the rest of Europe.

It is statements like that that are doing the harm.

The Minister has been saying that for years.

If the Deputy would address himself to the scourge of alcoholism he would be doing much better than hopelessly exaggerating the level of drug abuse.