The deputy lord mayor of Dublin has welcomed comments by former broadcaster and chairman of the Road Safety Authority Gay Byrne on the legalisation of drugs.
Mr Byrne told the RTÉ Radio 1 Conversations with Eamon Dunphyprogramme that he was coming round to the view that illegal drugs should be legalised because attempts to deal with the problem through law enforcement had "demonstrably failed".
Speaking today, Labour Cllr Aodhan O Riordain agreed with Mr Byrne that a new approach to drugs was needed.
"Drugs are a continuing cancer which have a devastating effect on communities throughout my electoral area of the North Inner City, throughout Dublin and indeed throughout the country.
"However it is becoming clear to me that we as a society need to start a new debate on the problem as we are clearly losing the war on drugs," said Mr O Riordain.
But the international president of the Europe Against Drugs Network (Euraid), Gráinne Kenny, said she was "appalled" by Gay Bynre's comments and called for him to resign as chairman of the Road Safety Authority.
Ms Kenny is also the chairwoman of the EU-wide Stupified Driving Committee, which is looking into the links between driving and both alcohol and drugs.
"If he is to be in charge of road safety, he should be educated on drug use as well as alcohol use. If you are a cannabis smoker, your driving is affected, and that is a scientific fact," she said.
Noel Ahern, the minister of state responsible for drug strategy has always ruled out any legalisation of drugs.
Speaking over the weekend, Mr Ahern said: ""I'm entirely opposed to legalising any drug. At different stages, different people have tried to make an argument for legalising drugs. But it's not a suggestion that can work.
"Drugs are illegal, and that's the right way to have them. Any talk about liberalising drugs is irresponsible."