Death of Alex Ryan ‘a wake-up’ call for politicians

Sinn Féin drugs spokesman Jonathan O’Brien is seeking to reverse the party’s opposition to the decriminalisation of drug use at its ard fheis in April.

Meanwhile, Labour drugs strategy minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said the adoption of the Portuguese decriminalisation model will be part of Labour’s election manifesto.

Mr Ó Ríordáin said his brief as junior minister, which also includes new communities, culture, and equality, was too wide and there needed to be a dedicated drugs minister with a “much bigger budget”.