The Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use has voted on and agreed 36 recommendations that aims to produce a new Irish model of legislation, policy and service to reduce the harm caused by illicit drugs use.
The recommendations were agreed at the final meeting of the Citizens' Assembly in Malahide in Dublin.
It concludes the work of the 100-member assembly which first met last April.
The recommendations include significant changes to laws governing penalties for possession of drugs for personal use, effectively amounting to decriminalisation.
This will mean an approach based on health-led interventions rather than through convictions via the criminal justice system.
Other key recommendations include greater responsibility and accountability for drugs policy at national level through the establishment of a dedicated Cabinet Committee on Drugs to be chaired by the Taoiseach, and increased funding for drugs treatment services alongside a greater focus on education about drugs use and prevention measures.
At its final meeting this weekend, members overwhelmingly agreed the majority of the 36 recommendations on six areas that followed the themes and issues under the assembly's terms of reference to produce proposals to address the harm caused by illicit drugs use.
The themes included recovery and supporting people with problematic drugs use within the criminal justice system; possession of drugs for personal use and governance and implementation.
They also included funding and resources; service design; research; reducing supply; prevention; protecting young people and communities; harm reduction; innovation; research; referral of submissions.
The final report will be submitted to the Oireachtas by the end of this year and will be presented to the Taoiseach by Citizens' Assembly Chairperson Paul Reid.
