The drug court, which has been operating on a part-time and pilot basis in Dublin for five years, is to be put on a permanent basis and extended throughout Dublin, the Courts Service announced yesterday. It will be available for use in all courts in the Dublin Metropolitan area on a phased basis.
The Courts Service will consult with the other agencies involved in order to make it available to communities across the Dublin area. The new judge in charge of the court is Judge Bridget Reilly, who will be attached to it full-time.
The drug court uses an interdisciplinary approach to help those involved in drugs before it tackles the cause of their criminal behaviour. The team consists of a judge, a probation and welfare officer, an addiction nurse, a Garda liaison officer and an education/training representative.
When the drug court was initially set up it took applications only from the north inner city, from those charged with non-violent crime who had drug addiction problems. Its remit was later extended to cover Dublin 7.
Applications are assessed for suitability by the treatment team and the probation officer assigned to the court. A treatment programme is agreed for each client and monitored by the court. The client appears before the court regularly so that progress can be monitored.
If the client successfully deals with his or her addiction and "graduates" from the course into education or employment, the charge is struck out. If they drop out or are removed from the programme they are returned to the original court and sentenced.
The president of the District Court, Judge Miriam Malone, paid tribute to the judge who steered the court through its pilot phase, Judge Gerard Haughton. "There are many lives rescued from the curse of addiction thanks to the efforts of Judge Haughton and his team," she said. "There are countless more who have avoided the hurt which would have been caused if these addictions had not been tackled."
According to the Courts Service, the programme is tough and difficult and does not suit everyone. However, for those who continue and graduate from it, it is a rewarding experience.
Of those referred to the pilot drug court since its inception, 84 were found to be ineligible, 71 terminated from the programme, 24 are currently in it and 22 are being assessed. Eleven have graduated successfully.