ThatGuy98_ t1_iy3gnlc wrote
This is missing several important points.
The bill is being introduced by an opposition TD. Government will almost certianly vote it down, or more realistically, let it die in committe or refuse a money message.
A planned citizen assembly on drugs has been stalled for a long time, mainly due to our drugs minister seemingly hating on drug reform :/
Any change like this will be done by Government not opposition, so probably sfter the next election in 2025 if I had to guess.
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Matty96HD t1_iy3i5wm wrote
And annoyingly for me, I have seen about 30 articles in the last month about this, all with ever so slight changes in the title to make it seem a step further.
All that is on the bill to my knowledge is decriminalisation of up to 7g of cannabis.
And its not the first time Gino Kelly has proposed a bill as such as this. Last time notably leaving out some pretty important details.
I hope it passes, but it won't. Even if it did, we are still easily 10 years plus out from legalisation.
EDIT: Seen it is also proposing a Citizens assembly for next year and injection centers. Two other positive moves, however I'm doubtful it will pass anyway.
EroniusJoe t1_iy5c5vw wrote
Thankfully, we're not 10 years away anymore, although I would have agreed with you last year. Now that Germany has begun the process, I think all of Europe will finally start to follow suit. Similar to how it happened in America, with Colorado and California leading the charge, and then it goes pretty fast from there. I expect Ireland to legalise in the next 2 years.
Or maybe I'm just talking myself into it to feel more hopeful, hahaha!
Matty96HD t1_iy5g9wj wrote
I understand the optimism, especially after seeing 3 party TD's, Mairead Farrell of Sinn Fein, Aódhan O Rhiordan (sp?) of Labour and Simon Harris of Fine Geal (In government) agree a citizens assembly is a positive move and they are eyeing 2023 to have it.
And in hindsight seeing it in the media so often is probably a good thing as it means it's being seen and talked about. Could also mean somebody is putting a lot of effort into getting this noticed which is also good.
Ultimately I hope you are right but I can't see anything changing soon though it does seem to slowly be becoming a bigger issue in Ireland.
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Alldaybagpipes t1_iy7gc79 wrote
Hang in there, this is how it starts! I live in one of, if not the most conservative parts of our country, (Canada) and I felt I would never see it in my lifetime.
Can’t drive through any town without passing at least 3 dispensaries these days. Literally more of them than liquor stores!
It can and probably will happen!
JustAPerspective t1_iy4ijbp wrote
All set to write "When Irish eyes are smiling" with musical emojis, too...
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Mrozek33 t1_iy3tadn wrote
That's a bummer, I was looking forward to a THC-infused Jameson Bongwater Special Reserve
JasonVII t1_iy3pqs1 wrote
To add to this. Labour (also an opposition party) are introducing a bill this week to prioritise the Citizens Assembly.
Minister for Higher Education: Simon Harris said on yesterday’s ’This week in Politics’, that they intend to establish the Citizens Assembly next year. So either the Government Coalition will support the Labour bill or introduce their own version of it soon.
PBPs bill will definitely fail, but it is part of a broader conversation and increasing political pressure that should eventually lead to decriminalisation of all drugs and potentially legalisation of Cannabis. Irish Citizen Assemblies are very good and generally give the Government strong scope for liberal policy much further than they would introduce on their own.
BenderRodriguez14 t1_iy4mm84 wrote
> Minister for Higher Education: Simon Harris said on yesterday’s ’This week in Politics’, that they intend to establish the Citizens Assembly next year.
Yeah, they'll get on it fight after they get those last few tweaks to this minor housing blip sorted out.
It's such a pain in the hole too, having lived in Canada where its been legal for years and magically society hasn't deteriorated into a drug zombie hellscape.
nittecera t1_iy3ke10 wrote
You have a drugs minister?
ThatGuy98_ t1_iy3l91r wrote
Yes and no.
Technically we don't. We have a Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy.
Commonly referred to as a 'junior minister'. They exist dur to a constitutional limit on how many ministers we can have. The idea is they can focus on specific areas under the wider ministry, health in this case.
Some have been quite good IMO, law reform had been busy. Drugs however, not so much.
GoTouchGrassPlease t1_iy4xsy8 wrote
Forbes is notorious for misleading headlines, which seem designed to reach the front page of Reddit.
Finch2090 t1_iy3r2vi wrote
I honestly don’t think the Government will vote it down. It’s an easy way for them to win back some public opinions
And not that I don’t agree with Gay marriage or repealing the 8th, I voted yes to both of them, I felt at the time it was a good way to win over the public through Referendum for both of them too for FG
IsADragon t1_iy3t56n wrote
Michael seems pretty opposed to it. I have little hope for it passing.
Finch2090 t1_iy3vjnn wrote
Yeah but that’s Fianna Fáil party politics though, they know exactly who butters their bread and try to stick to that as much as they can. Much more admirable than FG who will try to appeal as many as possible but do fuck all after they’re elected to make whole on their promises
Hufflepuff4Ever t1_iy4vr0b wrote
Yea but isn’t Leo taking the main seat again next month. He announced the referendum on the 8th as one of his first acts as Taoiseach, so who knows. Would help win back some of the public after the GP contract leak
IsADragon t1_iy4wzyx wrote
Not sure he'll be much better, and he is in a coalition with FF. I just wouldn't get my hopes up. I know he's at least admitted to taking stuff before, but FG are a conservative party as well, typically more so than FF.
Hufflepuff4Ever t1_iy4zd8z wrote
Oh I doubt he’d do anything to push it through, but not knocking it down straight away would definitely pull public opinion on his direction.
mvaahremnadra t1_iy8h4rn wrote
Some of his buddies in the US / Canada legal weed industry will convince him.
ThatGuy98_ t1_iy3ua0j wrote
Agreed, voting it down at second stage was the old way, hence the other two options I mentioned. My point is, something as important as mjaor drug policy overhaul won't happen through a PMB. Government will want to control the chnage and reap the benefit, not give it to opposition.
Finch2090 t1_iy3vzpf wrote
Yeah, they’ll throw it out a to a referendum again or something and act like the heroes for allowing it
So they can give themselves a pat on the back for it while also being able to defend themselves by saying it’s the peoples choice or hands were tied
ThatGuy98_ t1_iy3wp6j wrote
It's actuslly a bit trickier for them than that. Cannabis isn't constitutionally banned, only by a piece of legislation.
They could hold an ordinary referendum, which involves a majority of the Seanad and 1/3 of the Dail petitioning Miggeldy, and him deciding its of national importance.
However given the Government have a majority on the Seanad and an ordinary referendum has never been used before I doubt they want to do that.
Citizens assembly completed with recommendations, followed by a GE with drugs policy being fairly central with change to follow depending on the parties elected is the most likely path I think.
Gorazde t1_iy4w2ko wrote
It's being introduced by a far left party with four TDs, out of 160 total in the Dail.
fatamSC2 t1_iy58ugg wrote
Haha yeah I hate this kind of wording. "Ireland" did not come up with this as a whole, one group inside Ireland did. If the entirety of Ireland supported this then it would already be law
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Beelzabub t1_iy5re9m wrote
Will it become the Emerald Isle?
fakerjohn t1_iy6a7dz wrote
What exactly is a “drugs minister?”
Here in the USA we have a lot of stupid things but somehow got along demonizing cannabis just fine without one of those. I think.
EastBoxerToo t1_iy4x1ac wrote
Basically what Democrats did in 2020 in the USA. They passed legalization in the House, but it was a performance and had no chance of ever going further. The media still went big with it, and the party acted like they'd really tried to legalize so as to do some easy fundraising from it.
Beautiful_Golf6508 t1_iy4gnba wrote
Irish here.
Party fighting is worse here than in the US. The amount of shit throwing recently between TDs is just hilarious. The truth of the matter is that one side is just as bad as the other and they say that they are best for the country, all the while contributing to what makes it the worst.
BenderRodriguez14 t1_iy4mvkg wrote
> Party fighting is worse here than in the US.
Also Irish here, and while there is plenty, it's not even close to being vaguely comparable to anything within an arse's roar like US levels over the last few years.
BallardRex t1_iy4tqzf wrote
Indeed, the US had a bloody attempted coup ffs.
anewaccount855 t1_iy4myc4 wrote
Stop exaggerating. Irish politics has plenty of flaws but the party fighting is no where close to the US. We don't have first past the post voting, we don't have corporate sponsored billion dollar ad campaigns with attack ads about other parties. We don't have major news networks openly backing parties.
CuntyMcAnus t1_iy4uy5c wrote
Wtf? Party fighting worse than the US?
Hahaha, no.
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