Cross-Party Network of Politicians to Collaborate on Drug Policy Reforms

Following a meeting in Leinster House this morning, the launch of the new Oireachtas Cross-Party Group on Drug Policy Reform (ODPR) was agreed by a cross-party group of Oireachtas members.

The Ana Liffey Drug Project will be the NGO partner to the group and play a policy advisory and administrative support role.

Independent Senator Lynn Ruane, who was elected as the inaugural convenor of the group, said:
“I’d like to thank my fourteen Oireachtas colleagues for their interest in working on a cross-party basis for evidence-based and progressive reforms of Irish drug policy. I’m delighted that all major political parties and many smaller and independent groupings across the Dáil and the Seanad are represented and look forward to our ongoing work together.”

“We look forward to informing and contributing to the national drug policy debate here in Ireland further, but also on working on the wide range of drug-related issues such as law reform, policy reform, service provision and informative & educational projects for the public, politicians and civil society at large.”

“I’d like to thank Tony Duffin of Ana Liffey for his support so far and the invaluable role that Ana Liffey will play in supporting the work of the group.”

The group’s secretariat can be contacted on odpr@aldp.ie.

The full membership of the group is Deputies Dessie Ellis, Kate O’Connell, Jonathan O’Brien, Tommy Broughan, Gino Kenny, Bríd Smith, Kevin O’Keefe, Maurice Quinlivan, Roísin Shortall, Pat Buckley and Senators Lynn Ruane, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Fintan Warfield, Colette Kelleher and Ned O’Sullivan.