Minister Pat Carey personally "knows cocaine users"

[the-analyst2007]

Reseach for the programme on cocaine aired tonight (Primetime Investigates) began well before the broadcast of High Society . Testing commenced in August.

After High Society was aired, Sam Smyth wrote a string of articles condeming that programme's protrayal of cocaine use in Ireland, particularly the claim that a cabinet Minister has/is abusing the Class A illegal drug.

Today on Q102 Radio's current affairs show On The QT, Minister responsible for tackling the Drugs problem, Pat Carey, openly admitted to knowing personally several cocaine users who he described as having no problem with taking the drug. (Q102, 10.12.2007, 7.30pm Newscast).

Are these people he knows T.D.s? Is one of them a member of the cabinet?

Why does he not whistleblow on these individuals?
Carey has opened an can of worms for himself.

[riven]

Surely it is his civic duty to get these people help or bring them to justice

[TheBear]

<Mod>Moved to Health & Social Affairs.</Mod>

[the-analyst2007]

I was gobsmaked when I heard him. Not the fact that people are taking cocaine, but that a Minister, and not any Minister but one responsible for takling drugs, would admit he personally knew cocaine users and that they did not give a second thought to what they were doing.

Why not call the Guards Pat?

[daithimac]

NEWSFLASH: FG HACK OFFENDED BY FF MINISTERS COMMENTS!!!!!

[the-analyst2007]

Cocaine is a Class A drug.

It is illegal.

[mollox]

I was gobsmaked when I heard him. Not the fact that people are taking cocaine, but that a Minister, and not any Minister but one responsible for takling drugs, would admit he personally knew cocaine users and that they did not give a second thought to what they were doing.

Why not call the Guards Pat?

Why not report it to the gardai yourself?
If they were ever going to act on such a complaint, surely it would be now, what with all the publicity regarding recent deaths of cocaine users.

[Kieran-walsh]

For god sake, he lives in the real world...

I agree that he is pandering to likes of boring internet forummers to take the "High" moral ground, but come on, do you not know anyone who is/has/was/ever/ dabbled in something they shouldn't.

Maybe he has a son or daughter who has friends who know someone who once bought flour and got it mixed up with cocaine...you guys aren't even worth the whole rolling eyes thing that goes with the comments.

He is the Minister for Drugs, not a Parish Priest/ Social Worker, Should Willie O Dea fix a flat tyre on a broken tank?

Im so annoyed at having to defend this fella, but really? Are you for Real?

[the-analyst2007]

Good point. Might try and get a copy of the show tomorrow.

[caminoed]

yeah it is awful. i mean, imagine a minister being honest. it is just a disgrace. would ye get a grip. give carey a chance. i don't think reporting a fedw users will have much of an effect, whereas listening to them, and their experiences of taking the drug may give him some useful insight to actually tackle the problem. will we ever learn that the 'just say no' approach simply doesn't work?