Taoiseach Bertie Ahern called for a stronger enforcement of the law to deal with the distribution and use of illegal drugs.
"I will be frank: I would like the law to be enforced more strongly. I keep answering questions about the need to give the Garda more powers.
"The force has been given strong powers by successive justice ministers. At none of my meetings with the Garda this year, has it been suggested that its powers are in any way inadequate.
"It might be easier for people to understand that if they were to see the law being enforced a little more strongly. That is a matter for the Garda, however, as I cannot start directing its actions."
Mr Ahern said if it was possible to close down a premises for abuse of the law on under-age drinking, it was even more important that tough measures were taken where the sale, distribution or use of drugs was taking place.
"If large pubs or nightclubs do not work towards improvement in this area, they should be put out of business for six months."
Mr Ahern said that while nobody wanted to be a spoilsport coming up to Christmas, drug-taking at private parties could not be tolerated. He was told, he said, that crystal meth, the new drug on the beat, put cocaine into a different perspective. It could cause enormous damage.
Mr Ahern was responding to Opposition questions, following Monday's Prime Time Investigates programme on RTÉ into cocaine abuse in the State.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said he would like the House and the Government to send out the message that they were really serious and deadly serious about the issue of drugs.
Fine Gael, he said, would support Government initiatives aimed at dealing with drug dealers and those who broke the law.
Garda activity did not prevent 92 per cent of the toilets which were investigated by Prime Time Investigates from showing traces of cocaine.
"It is not bringing an end to the influx of drugs into this country. It is not stopping people from making starter ecstasy tablets available to young people for €2.50. It has not averted the sale of heroin on the streets of Dublin and other cities and towns. It is not discouraging those who are snorting cocaine as we speak."
Mr Kenny suggested that the social perception of the respectability of cocaine use would not be jolted out of its lethargy until a high-profile personality was jailed for cocaine use.
"We recall the effect of the jailing of Lester Piggott, for different reasons, in England some years ago," Mr Kenny said.
Labour leader Éamon Gilmore called for the destruction of the supply chains for cocaine and other illicit drugs, as well as the drug barons and gangs who were supplying drugs.
He said that under licensing legislation, a garda could enter a public house, licensed premises or nightclub without a warrant to inspect whether there was a breach of the licensing laws.
However, if the garda wanted to examine whether drugs were being used in toilets or generally on the premises, he or she must get a warrant. Some legislative change could be made in this respect to allow gardaí more freedom and ability to deal with the problem.
