'Drug sentencing' training courses for judges
Training courses are to be introduced for judges to ensure more consistent sentencing for drug offences, it emerged today.
The mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy found that there were widely-held concerns about the varying sentences being handed down in courts across the country.
It recommended that the Judicial Studies Institute (JSI) provide training courses for judges by 2007.
Minister of State Noel Ahern, who is responsible for the drugs strategy, said this would not interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
“I think that every judge is the boss in his own court but we are working with the JSI to have specialist training and knowledge given to the judiciary so that there could be some consistency of sentencing,” he said.
The mid-term review found that the current aims of the National Drugs Strategy, which is due to end in 2008, were fundamentally sound. Of the 100 objectives, 49 have been completed, 45 have had progressed and six require more work.
It recommended that rehabilitation of drug addicts should be added to the existing four goals of the Drugs strategy - reducing the supply, preventing addiction, treating users and researching new approaches.
This would include access to support courses, jobs and houses and is seen as crucial in taking addicts off methadone treatment and integrating them back into normal life.
The review also recommended that the Criminal Assets Bureau should target more middle-ranking drug dealers and that the money recovered should be ring-fenced for drug-ravaged communities.
Since the strategy began, the heroin problem has spread to outside Dublin, which has around 12,500 addicts, and there has been a significant increase in the use of cocaine.
But Mr Ahern said there had also been a number of significant achievements.
:: A 45% increase in the number of methadone treatment places for heroin addicts, to 7,400 in total;
:: The establishment of 10 regional drug task forces in deprived areas with high levels of drug abuse;
:: An increase in drug seizures by gardaí and the Customs service ;
:: The availability of 1,120 places in community employment schemes for recovering drug addicts.
Mr Ahern said he supported the recommendation to extend the opening hours of needle exchanges and other harm reduction services to late nights and weekends, which is designed to reduce the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C.
“Our strategy is based on the realities of life. We would like to have a drug free society but we don’t. We have a responsibility as the state to try and look after and improve the health of all citizens.”
The mid-term review said that drug prevention education should be part of the curriculum for student teachers.
Around €85m has been spent on 450 facilities and services for young people in drug-affected areas and another €95m has been spent on projects within the 10 Local Drugs Task Forces.
Eight of the task forces are based in Dublin and the remaining two are in Bray and Cork city.
