Cllr wants Drug Courts extended to County Cavan

A local councillor wants the Courts Service to support the Drug Treatment Courts system to be extended to Cavan and Monaghan and elsewhere.

Following its extension to Dundalk, Fianna Fáil's John Paul Feeley believes the system would work well locally also.

What began as a pilot in Dublin deals with people with drug addiction problems who come before the District Court on minor criminal charges linked to their drug addiction and who plead guilty or have been convicted.

There is a short assessment phase and those chosen to participate are people who are serious about wanting to tackle their drug habit and undergo treatment.

The Drug Treatment Court is supported by a team including a drug treatment court co-ordinator, a liaison nurse, a probation officer, and an education coordinator.

At the induction stage, potential participants meet the members of the team and are assessed to determine their suitability for the programme.

As part of the programme, participants must abstain from their main drug of choice upon admission, and further tests are carried out as they continue through the three phases involved.

Decisions on the participant's success at each phase, is made by the judge based on information provided by the team.

Speaking at the December monthly meeting of Cavan County Council, Cllr Feeley assured his fellow members that the court does not accept people charged with sale or supply offences or in connection with violent crime. “It's not a get out of jail free card,” he assured.

“Its' an alternative to conviction or incarceration,” he pointed out, saying that its establishment would “send a message”. It would also allow others “caught in the net” access supports to “set them on the right path”.

Fine Gael's TP O'Reilly supported the motion, saying he would raise the matter at a regional forum level and with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.

There was support too from Cllrs Clifford Kelly (FF) and Independent Brendan Fay who suggested that some “users” who end up in jail emerge in a worse state of addiction. Sinn Féin's Paddy McDonald suggested that sentencing should be tougher, and fumed that known drug dealers are entering courts and getting free legal aid paid by the taxpayer.

“If they're sentenced, they should pay the price,” he suggested.

Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly also supported the motion.