A suggestion by the Labour Party TD, Mr Joe Costello, that cannabis be reclassified following a recent decision in Britain has been criticised by the Fianna Fáil TD and chairman of the Oireachtas Health Committee, Mr Batt O'Keeffe.
"I am disappointed to hear the Labour Party spokesman on justice suggest that cannabis be reclassified. Just because the authorities in the United Kingdom have downgraded the status of cannabis, it does not mean we should slavishly follow suit," he said.
"I am strongly convinced that there should be no laxity in discouraging cannabis use."
The Green Party's justice spokesman, Mr Ciarán Cuffe, has also called for the cannabis law to be reviewed in light of the British decision.
Tied vote again in Presbyterian poll
For the second year in succession the election for the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church has resulted in a tied vote between the Rev Ken Newell and the Rev Dr Harry Uprichard.
Dr Uprichard, minister of Trinity, Ahoghill, and Mr Newell of the Fitzroy congregation in Belfast each received 10 nominations from the 21 presbyteries.
These met yesterday throughout the North and the Republic to vote for a successor to the present Moderator, Dr Ivan McKay.
Under the rules of the church presbyteries will vote on just the two names at their next meetings on March 2nd to decide who will take over from Dr McKay, who continues in office until June.
The other minister to receive a nomination was Rev Alistair Kennedy of the Trinity congregation in Bangor.