Minister: ‘People in RTE using cocaine’
Feighan defiant after also pointing finger at public officials
THE Minister of State for Drugs Policy Frank Feighan has claimed public officials and people in RTE are “snorting cocaine all over the place”.
While discussing the issue of gateway drugs during a radio debate earlier this year, Mr Feighan said: “We are now in an epidemic and we have to deal with it, and public officials and people in RTE are snorting cocaine all over the place.”
The Fine Gael TD made the claim in a debate on Ocean FM in January during the general election campaign. He did not resile from the comments when contacted yesterday, saying drug use is again widespread throughout society and needs to be acknowledged.
When contacted about Mr Feighan’s comments, a spokesperson for RTE said: “We have no comment.”
THE new Minister of State for Drugs Policy Frank Feighan said public officials and people in RTE are “snorting cocaine all over the place”.
The Fine Gael TD made the claim on a local radio debate during the general election campaign in the course of a discussion on the problem of recreational drug use and crime in Ireland.
Speaking to Ocean FM on January 31, Mr Feighan said: “You talk about drugs, I remember 2002, I was talking about cannabis and nobody was listening. Cannabis, like alcohol, is a gateway drug to cocaine and we had this lovely feeling about it, ‘sure it’s a bit of fun’.
“We are now in an epidemic and we have to deal with it, and public officials and people in RTE are snorting cocaine all over the place.
“Yes, and they are talking, let’s be honest, they are talking about… everybody who is taking cocaine is adding to the crime problem, is funding that serious issue of crime gangs and we can’t have it both ways.”
Mr Feighan was picked up on his comments and told he should not be singling out any one organisation.
The then-Fine Gael senator continued: “It’s quite obvious, it’s quite obvious. I know all over this country, every man woman and child that’s talking about crime and that’s taking cocaine and illegal drugs are helping to fund that crime, are helping to start off those gangs and we have to get real about it.”
A spokesperson for RTE said: “We have no comment.”
The emergence of Mr Feighan’s remarks comes just days after he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy.
Mr Feighan declined to withdraw or apologise for the remarks last night, telling the Sunday Independent: “Drug use is again widespread throughout society. It’s something we need to acknowledge. As minister for public health, well being and national drugs strategy, I’m determined to bring a health-led approach to this important issue under the partnership government.”
The Fianna Fail-Fine Gael-Green government is pledging to set up a Citizens’ Assembly to consider matters related to drug use, as well as adopting a health-led approach to personal drug use.
The last government revealed plans last year that would see people caught with small amounts of illegal drugs avoid criminal conviction on the first and second occasion but face the courts on the third. The new Government is set to continue the rollout of this policy.
Mr Feighan’s appointment was part of a significant shake-up of the junior ministerial ranks by Tanaiste Leo Varadkar last week. He is the last member of the Fine Gael’s opposition frontbench under Enda Kenny in the late 2000s to be appointed to a ministerial role.
The last decade has been a tumultuous one for the Boyle native. Following his re-election in Roscommon-South Leitrim in 2011, he was the subject of major criticism in his constituency for voting with the Fine Gael-Labour government to oppose a motion to retain emergency services at Roscommon Hospital.
Mr Feighan apologised for breaking a pre-election promise but has since defended his decision, insisting it was the right one for health services in the region. As a result of the criticism, he decided against contesting the 2016 general election but was later appointed to the Seanad. He ran in Sligo-Leitrim in February’s election where he took the fourth and final seat.