Justice Committee express interest in Portuguese drug model

The Oireachtas Justice Committee will highlight the Portuguese drug decriminalisation model in an upcoming report to the Department of Justice.

Committee chairman David Stanton TD told the Irish Examiner the model “seemed to be quite effective” and that it should be debated in Ireland, as articulated by drugs minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

A four-member delegation is conducting a three-day visit to Lisbon, where they are meeting senior members of the Portuguese government and police, as well as experts from the EU drugs agency.

The delegation includes Finian McGrath TD, Alan Farrell TD and Senator Martin Conway. It attended the launch yesterday of the European Drug Report 2015, published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction.

Prior to that, the delegates met Dr Joao Goulao, who is the Portuguese Drug Co- ordinator and chairman of the centre.

“The main thrust of what they do is decriminalise possession of small amounts of all drugs for personal use,” said Mr Stanton.

“If someone is arrested and taken to the police station, the police chief makes a call to refer the person to what’s called a dissuasion committee.”

This committee, comprising a psychologist, social worker and a legal professional, examines the circumstances of the person. They can refer him or her to education or treatment or back into the criminal justice system.

However, it can only be treated as an administrative offence and cannot end in a criminal record.

“That means it does not affect a young person’s ability to travel or gain employment,” said Mr Stanton. He said police can concentrate on the dealers.

He said the results of their trip will be fed back to the full committee which is finalising a report on organised crime.

The report is expected to be sent to the Department of Justice before the summer recess and a copy will go both the minister Frances Fitzgerald and minister of state Ó Ríordáin.