Flood relief and drugs policy
Deputy Ó Ríordáin asked about flood relief eligibility for Dublin and pressed for the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use report to go to committee. The Taoiseach said humanitarian claims already settled could not be reopened, but live applications may be treated under the new rules.
Will any changes in eligibility for flood relief supports for those in Waterford and Cork, which is completely justifiable, also be forwarded to my constituents in Dublin who experienced flooding in August?
In light of the conclusion of the work of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use, I am sure the Taoiseach will agree that there is massive momentum now for a change in drug policy here to make it much more health focused and to talk about the decriminalisation of the drug user. Will the Taoiseach advocate for the report from the citizens' assembly to go to the justice committee in order that we can finally get change done within the lifetime of this Dáil?
Comment on this
Cabinet decided earlier that for anybody making a claim or an application under the humanitarian aid relief funds in circumstances where the process for accepting applications is closed and where claims have been settled already, we cannot reopen the process because that would result in us going back who knows how long. Where there are still live applications that have not been settled yet, however, the new rules will apply. It will depend on the individual circumstances. Where applications are already closed, settled and the money paid, that is done. Where they are still live, we can apply the new rules.
I look forward to reading the report from the citizens' assembly and meeting the chairman, which I will do in the next few weeks. I will definitely refer it to a joint committee for further scrutiny. Whether the report will go to the health committee, the justice committee or both, I do not know yet, but we will definitely refer it for further discussion. We need to tease out what was recommended because it is not clear exactly how we would pursue a comprehensive health-based approach in Ireland, whether it would be through full decriminalisation or creating an unindictable offence. All of these matters need to be teased out and an Oireachtas committee is the best place to do that.