Open drug dealing has become increasingly common as there are now “more drugs available in Ireland probably than ever before”, a former Garda Assistant Commissioner for Dublin has said. 

Dr Pat Leahy said it is important to note there have been some “tremendous seizures” of drugs that are being smuggled into the State in recent years. 

However, he added that seizures represent only the tip of the iceberg. 

“Research indicates that what is being stopped and seized coming into the country represents about 10 to 15% of what’s actually getting in,” he told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“I don’t think the streets have been surrendered [to drugs] but certainly the state of play has changed. 

“If we look at some recent statistics that have come out; from a European perspective, Ireland is the number one user of cocaine in Europe per capita. 

“The United Nations has come out and indicated that Ireland is number four in the world for their use of cocaine.” 

Lines of cocaine. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Dr Leahy added that the “playing pitch has changed so much” in only a short period of time. 

“People are presenting now at a rate never seen before for treatment in relation to cocaine,” he said. 

“There’s no doubt about it whatsoever, no one would ever argue about the fact that there are more drugs available in Ireland probably than ever before.” 

Drugs seized by Gardaí in Dublin. Image: An Garda Síochána

In 2023, the Citizens’ Assembly recommended that the State move away from treating drug use as a criminal justice matter to that of a public health problem. 

The Programme for Government committed Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to a “health led approach to drug addiction”, including increased funding for addiction services. 

It made no mention of decriminalisation but Dr Leahy said he believes this is an approach “worth considering”. 

“The criminal justice approach to dealing with illicit drugs has not been as successful as we all expected it to be,” he said. 

“Decriminalisation means that for people that are purchasing drugs for their own use and caught in possession for their own use, that you’re in a position to put aside the criminal justice procedure after that and pursue a health led approach.

“For some jurisdictions, what this means is people are offered an opportunity; either you get charged and you go to court and risk going to prison. 

“Or you enter into a programme; so, there is some merit in relation to that.” 

Despite this, Dr Leahy warned that there is “no silver bullet” and “no end game” when it comes to the battle against drugs.

Main image: A cocaine user. Picture by: Alamy.com.