Monday night saw Ireland’s minister for responsibility for drug strategy, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin clash with Manix Flynn in a tense TV debate. The show was the Claire Byrne Live show on RTE. Byrne was following up on a piece where she talked to users, service providers and business owners across Dublin city. Tony Duffin of Ana Liffey Drug Project led RTE down some of Dublin’s back alleys just as he did with VolteFace before Christmas.
The show was also guested by Richard Branson.
Richard Branson: It's very clear the war on drugs has been an abject failure…We need to treat drugs as a health problem #cblive
— Claire Byrne Live (@ClaireByrneLive) January 11, 2016
Yesterday, Hotpress Magazine reported on the showdown between Flynn and Ó Ríordáin,
Citing fact-based evidence from Australia, the Minister said they will save lives and reduce HIV and other infection rates, while Flynn, with his trademark bluster, dismissed the initiative as political smoke and mirrors in the run-up to the next election.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: People are literally dying on the streets of this city… We need a realistic approach that will save lives #cblive
— Claire Byrne Live (@ClaireByrneLive) January 11, 2016
Mannix Flynn: You cannot rehabilitate someone by facilitating them to take them drugs #cblive
— Claire Byrne Live (@ClaireByrneLive) January 11, 2016
Reactions were mixed bit it is good to see the issue being debated as something of great importance – especially as Ireland heads towards its general elections.
The twittersphere saw many positive tweets supporting Medically Supervised Injection Centres and the associated but separate issue of decriminalisation in Ireland.
Most shy away from issue & as a country we treat ppl with addiction unfairly. AodhanORiordain is making big efforts to address it #cblive
— Laura Harmon (@Harmonica26) January 11, 2016
Drug users deserve to be treated with dignity & respect & given a safe clean space to inject #cblive
— Nicki Killeen (@nickikilleen) January 11, 2016
Medically supervised injecting centres not a cure all but will save lives of street drug users injecting and dying down lanes #cblive
— Ruth Lawler (@LawlerRuth) January 11, 2016
Re decriminalisation issue worth pointing out Oireachtas Justice Committee unanimously called for Portugese model to be examined #cblive
— Cormac O'Keeffe (@CormacJOKeeffe) January 11, 2016
And there were of course those who chose to tweet their disapproval of such harm reduction measures.
#injectionCentres
We don't invite alcoholics to the pub to get cured.#ClaireByrne @ClaireByrneLive @mannixflynn @AodhanORiordain— ⅭZ༝🔶 Вlnanсe (@ciaran_flynn) January 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/GerardKennelly/status/686688800664383488
Keep your eyes on Ireland as we head into 2016.