DRUG COURT AT LONG LAST IS READY TO HEAR FIRST CASE

The long awaited drug court, which will offer treatment and
rehabilitation, on a voluntary basis instead of prison to non violent
drug offenders, will finally hear its first case tomorrow.

This is despite last week's decision by 50 GPs working in Dublin's
drug treatment centres not to co operate with it.

The GPs, Specialising in Substance Abuse (GPSSA), treat almost 90% of
all heroin addicts on methadone maintenance programmes in the Eastern
Region Health Authority (ERHA).

"This means that there will be no one available to take on any cases
from the drug court, except for psychiatrists in Trinity Court who
treat the other 10% -- but they already have a waiting list," said
GPSSA spokesman Dr Cathal O'Sullivan."

The action by the GPs follows a long running dispute with management
over working conditions. Discussions are due to take place on Friday
in an attempt to bring the dispute to an end.

But a spokesman for the Courts Service said the drug court -- which
has been three years in the making -- would start working tomorrow
regardless.

"Other services would still be available, including counselling and
probation and welfare," the spokesman said. He added that the numbers
starting on the programme would be quite small initially.

The court will run on a pilot, or test case, basis over the next 18
months in Dublin's north inner city, the area with the highest level
of drug related crime in the city.

If successful, the Government plans to extend the scheme throughout Dublin.

It is estimated the majority of the 37,000 or so cases brought before
the district court in Dublin are drug related.

Of these, almost 13,000 cases come from the north inner city area.

A spokesman for the drug court said that by keeping people in
treatment, the programme aims to reduce relapse rates for substance
use and related criminal behaviour and improve social stability.

Those accepted will be required to enter a special drug court bail
bond which will set out terms of treatment.

Participants will then be given a structured treatment programme,
which will last about one year. This will include counselling, random
and regular drug screening and addiction treatment, including
methadone maintenance in necessary.

Dr Brion Sweeney, consultant psychiatrist with the Northern Area
Health Board, said the main difference regarding those referred from
the drug court and ordinary clients is the high level of supervision.

He said international experience, particularly in Australia, showed
that drug courts could be successful.

"It has shown itself to be very effective in Australia. Not for all
patients. Perhaps one third fail in the programmes, which means two
thirds are succeeding, which is a good rate," Dr Sweeney said.

"If we can achieve similar results here we'll be very satisfied."

But he said it was difficult to recruit the necessary staff to run the service.

"However, this is an exciting new project and there are motivated
young people who want to get involved in something different.

"At present we are actively recruiting and are having some success
and we have extra staff coming on board."

He said there are about a dozen people on the waiting list for
treatment in City Clinic in Amiens Street, which will be the main
referral centre for the drug court.

"Obviously, in terms of equity we can't have a situation where people
are committing crimes to get into treatment, so therefore we have to
clear our waiting list at the same time as we take people in from the
drug court.

"We don't know how that will pan out over the year. But there is a
strong commitment from the management of the Northern Area Health
Board to provide resources to achieve that goal."

Initially, they would take on 10 - 12 patients, building quickly up to 100.

The Probation and Welfare Service as well as FAS and the Department
of Education will also have a key role in the drug court.

Senior Probation Officer Vivian Geiran said that two probation
officers will be assigned to the drug court.

"Our main area is in relation to offender behaviour, anti social
attitudes, lack of victim empathy as well as other issues such as
housing and family difficulties."

He said the difference with the drug court is that the agencies
involved will be called upon to work together in a more focused and
coordinated way.

He acknowledged that the Probation Service was already having major
problems meeting increasing demands placed upon it by the courts but
said that new staff had just been recruited and would be appointed
soon.

The drug court, headed by Judge Gerard Haughton, will be based in the
district court in the former Richmond Hospital.