Gay Byrne called for a debate on the legalisation of drugs, of course several people immediately had a seizure at the thought of actually talking about possible solutions to any drug problem…

From the Irish Independant:

Junior Minister Noel Ahern, who is responsible for the Government’s drug strategy, said any talk about legalising drugs was “irresponsible” while anti-drugs campaigner Grainne Kenny said the comments had been “a grave error of judgment”.

At least, according to the Irish Times, not everybody reacted with predictable horror:

The deputy lord mayor of Dublin has welcomed comments by former broadcaster and chairman of the Road Safety Authority Gay Byrne on the legalisation of drugs.

Mr Byrne told the RTÉ Radio 1 Conversations with Eamon Dunphy programme that he was coming round to the view that illegal drugs should be legalised because attempts to deal with the problem through law enforcement had “demonstrably failed”.

Speaking today, Labour Cllr Aodhan O Riordain agreed with Mr Byrne that a new approach to drugs was needed.

Noel Ahern, the minister of state responsible for drug strategy had these highly intelligent remarks to make on the whole incident:

“Drugs are illegal, and that’s the right way to have them. Any talk about liberalising drugs is irresponsible.”