Some 11,000 people who face the prospect every year of a criminal conviction for possessing small amounts of drugs could be diverted to health authorities, under decriminalisation proposals.
And up to 60,000 hours of Garda time currently spent arresting and prosecuting these people would be freed up to target traffickers and dealers.
A landmark report by the Oireachtas justice committee, has “strongly” recommended the adoption of a Portugese-type model, whereby drug users are diverted from the criminal justice system to education and treatment.
It is the first time a state or government body has called for the effective decriminalisation of drug use — with the caveat that gardaí would exercise discretion and retain the right to prosecute.
Source: Cormac O'Keefe, Irish Examiner, 06/11/2015
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