Gary Gannon: “Those delays have implications, very serious ones, for victims of crime.”

Thousands of cases have already been adjourned, people facing serious charges are unable to get legal advice and criminal courts have effectively come to a standstill.

This is a mess of the minister's making. He must reverse these changes immediately and do what he should have done from the outset – sit down with the Law Society and meaningfully engage with them.

The committee has concluded that the personal possession of drugs for one's own use should cease to be treated as a criminal matter and should instead be met with a health-led approach.

I would be raising the issue as much as possible and called on Minister O'Callaghan to get back into the room with the Law Society to try find common ground.