Ireland's move to health-led drug treatments a step in the right direction

Ireland's moving towards a health-led response to drug use.

It's an approach which was endorsed by the recent Citizens' Assembly on drug use - and involves alternatives to traditional sentencing.

A new report out today shows the benefit of schemes that tackle the cause of drug-use, and divert offenders into programmes that can help them tackle their issues.

Sligo Leitrim TD Frank Feighan says that based on the approach of other countries, there's no reason why this won't work in Ireland.