A motion supporting the legalisation and regulation of cannabis was passed by a slim majority at the Young Fine Gael conference in Furbo, Co Galway, at the weekend. Legalisation of prostitution was also carried by a comfortable majority, and a policy on abortion was approved. The policy proposals, which will be put to the party's national conference, include support for provision of abortion where there is a real and substantive risk to the long-term health of the mother, including self-injury. The abortion debate, which was chaired by Fine Gael MEP, Ms Mary Banotti, focused on 12 policy proposals. No motions opposing the option were tabled, but several were voted down, including support for abortion if there is a partial risk to the life, as distinct from health of the mother, including suicide.
Speaking yesterday on the RTE Radio programme, This Week, the party leader, Mr John Bruton, said he did not agree with the motion. "I think that if you have abortion in those circumstances, you effectively have abortion on demand. That has been the experience in other countries."
The outcome of the vote on cannabis, which took place during motions to conference, was welcomed by its proposer, Mr Mike Fitzpatrick, secretary of the Dublin North-East branch of Young Fine Gael. He argued that classifying cannabis with other illegal substances such as heroin and cocaine was the main reason that some cannabis users progressed to harder drugs. Legalisation would remove this psychological link, he said.
Disputing the "gateway" drug theory, Mr Fitzpatrick said research supported by the World Health Organisation indicated that alcohol caused greater social problems. Speaking afterwards Mr Fitzpatrick welcomed the decision and noted it had taken four party conferences to reach this stage in the debate.
Other motions carried included improvements in rail transport; the deregulation of taxis; tax relief and allowances for childcare where one or both parents are working outside the home, and the establishment of one national authority with total responsibility for co-ordinating childcare.
Young Fine Gael also passed motions in support of greater tolerance towards, and assistance for, asylum-seekers and refugees; the reform of teaching the Irish language in schools; and privatisation of State-sponsored bodies.
