People Before Profit TD for Dublin Mid-West Gino Kenny has been nominated by the Dáil’s ‘Independent Group’ as the new chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use, a cross-party body of TDs and Senators reviewing drug diversion, depenalisation, decriminalisation and legalisation.

Gino Kenny TD shared the news via social media site X (Twitter) today saying he was “happy to announce that I have been nominated to be the new chair of the Joint Committee on Drug Use.”

“I want to thank the Independent Group in the Dàil for their nomination. The committee has important work ahead and I’m looking forward to hearing from a variety of participants.”

Gino Kenny TD has been a campaigner for medical cannabis access since 2016, and in 2022, forwarded a piece of legislation that would decriminalise the possession of cannabis up to 7 grams. The Government have not yet opposed the bill, but have delayed it until October of this year.

The Drugs Committee has been set up as part of the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use’s terms of reference. The Assembly has asked Oireachtas members to recommend specific legislative measures on how to best achieve a ‘comprehensive health led approach’ to drug use, which features a pivot away from criminalisation.

The Committee is scheduled to finish in October, around the same time that Kenny’s bill is set before the Dáil again.

However, with rumours of a General Election as early as November – it is unclear whether we will see any radical changes to policy during this Government’s term.