The Department of Health’s decision to delay publication of its drugs strategy has been decried as “disappointing”, by the Labour Party. 

The Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use published its report in January this year following several months of deliberating on ways the State could “significantly reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs on individuals, families, communities and wider Irish society."

One of its recommendations was the publication of a draft health strategy by the Department of Health by June this year - something that has yet to happen. 

“Of course, we’re at the start of June now and we understand that the Department wants to wait for the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs’ Reform to hear their recommendations before they publish their own strategy,” Labour Senator Marie Sherlock told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“So, we’ve a bit of a chicken and egg game going on here - which is really disappointing.”

A man divides the cocaine into strips and then snorts.

Senator Sherlock said the recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly “could not have been clearer” and many addicts who seek treatment receive a poor level of care. 

“The reality in this country is we have a disjointed lack of joined up services right across the country,” she said. 

“Very patchy services with regards to harm reduction, with regards to recovery services. 

“We’re even, for instance here on the Northside of Dublin, we have only two drug stabilisation programmes. 

“There’s lots of detox programmes but in terms of stabilisation programmes which the medics tell us is crucially important to help people move onto a sustainable recovery.” 

Criminal justice system

Senator Sherlock said she was “disappointed” by the inertia and said “major change” is needed if Ireland is to reduce drug addiction rates. 

The Citizens’ Assembly called for the State to treat drug use as a public health issue - rather than a matter for the criminal justice system.

Senator Sherlock said the practicalities of such a change are being considered by the Oireachtas Committee. 

“The committee has a work programme that has effectively set out a number of work modules,” she said. 

“It’s our second work module to actually look at the criminal justice system and the issue of discrimination. 

“The reality is that while we have seven months to report as a committee I think anybody observing the political system at the moment knows that there’s a high degree of uncertainty as to how long this Dáil and Seanad are going to last.”

In a statement to Newstalk, the Department of Health said work on the strategy will be published next year. 

Main image: Heroin.