Irish Examiner view: Citizens' Assembly asked vital questions for future good of society

Sat, 21 Oct, 2023 - 02:00

When the 99 members of the Citizens' Assembly look back on the work they have been undertaking since April to contemplate one of the most demanding and complex issues facing modern democratic societies — the extent and influence of drug use and how the State might legislate for it — they can reflect on the important service they have provided.

Irrespective of their recommendations on “balancing the risks” between changing Ireland’s drug laws and retaining them in their current form, which is unlikely suggests the mood music, they have fulfilled a formidable task listening to 150 experts and contemplating often contradictory opinions on law, health, crime, politics, and public behaviour.

The chairman of the Assembly, former HSE chief executive Paul Reid, says he has been amazed by the capacity of his members to work their way through the arguments as they consider what legislative, policy and operational approaches could be taken to "significantly reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs on individuals, families, communities, and wider Irish society."

That there is an ever-increasing impact is apparent to everyone, and is reinforced every day by news stories of police activity against gangs, and of the toll of addiction which is recounted in countless court cases and inquests.

Mr Reid, speaking to the Irish Examiner today, says he believes there is a “strong mood for change” among members and that this weekend’s sixth public meeting, where recommendations will be considered and voted upon, will give general guidance on the direction it would like the Government to take rather than set out the details.

This lay persons’ approach is wise, and not only because there will be political consequences to any change in the current regimes. There are likely to be significant costs too. A report based on the recommendations will be submitted by December to the Oireachtas and the Government for consideration and further examination.

For now, it would be wrong to attempt to second guess the outcomes. There is plenty of time for debate and analysis once the proposals are tabled. We can, however, thank everyone who has participated and given their time to consider one of the most important issues that we will face together for many years to come.

Discovering the truth will require patience

The marvellous thing about the internet and our inter-connected digital world is that we can learn, more or less instantly, when something happens.

The terrible consequence is that we can receive multiple, and instant, perceptions of “the truth” and verdicts upon its causes and consequences.

When we consider Tuesday night’s deadly blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza we must acknowledge that we are now no nearer the truth as to its origin than we were then. The world divides predominantly into those who believe it was an act of the Israeli Defence Forces, and those who attribute it to a misfiring missile from Islamic Jihad, a rival group to Hamas.

Despite teams of verifiers working feverishly to interpret and weight the veracity of open-source information — public records, news media, social media platforms, images, videos, websites, and the Dark Web — we have no conclusion. Short of sealing off the area, declaring it a crime scene, and carrying out an extensive and independent forensic analysis by those knowledgeable in the ways of advanced weapons systems, we are not going to get a detailed answer any time soon, if at all. All of which makes it incumbent upon us, and particularly any individual with access to a social media account, to exercise prudence in what we say and do and in the versions we share with others. Some politicians stress the need to strive for “accuracy rather than pace”, while journalists and publishers struggle to set aside their normal news agenda instincts to seek first-mover advantage.

In these febrile circumstances, it is a useful warning to us all that even a tech-savvy operating group such as the organisers of the Web Summit can be too quick and definitive in rolling out the moral certainties. Paddy Cosgrave, chief executive of the Web Summit, which meets in Portugal next month, said on X, formerly Twitter:

“War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are.” He said he was “shocked at the rhetoric and actions of so many western leaders & governments, with the exception in particular of Ireland’s Government, who for once are doing the right thing.”

There have been a number of consequences of this episode of rapid opinion sharing. After initial obstinacy, Mr Cosgrave has had to spend some time contextualising his comments.

He apologised for the “timing” and “the way it has been presented”. “I unreservedly condemn Hamas’ evil, disgusting and monstrous October 7 attack. I also call for the unconditional release of all hostages,” he said in a statement on the Web Summit site.

“I unequivocally support Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself. I unequivocally support a two-state solution,” he added.

The genesis of the Web Summit was in Dublin before it established a new caravanserai in Lisbon, a favoured location of digital nomads. Several high-profile companies and speakers — including Meta, Google, Intel, Siemens, and actor Gillian Anderson — have withdrawn from next month’s conference.

While the truth about what happened may be out there, it is not going to be captured in a headline, a sound bite, or a social media message. As a famous Irishman once said, truth is “rarely pure and never simple”. However much we crave clarity and certainty, we will need patience as well.

Whisky Galore

What on Earth do you do with a rare bottle of Scotch which you have bought at auction for €1.4m. Simply look at it seems to be one of the answers, although we’re not sure that would work for us.

Sotheby’s will be putting the 96-year-old bottle of Macallan Adami 1926 single malt whisky under the hammer in London on November 18. A Macallan is considered the “holy grail” for whisky collectors and the Speyside distillery has only ever produced 40 bottles. Macallan says the whisky is woody and resiny, “sweetened with medium treacle toffee and rich dried fruits”.

At 30 nips to a bottle that will be €46,666 recurring to you. Unless you fancy a double!

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