Drug Court to be extended to all areas of Dublin

2 Feb 2006

The Court Service announced yesterday that it will extend the operation of drug courts to the entire Dublin metropolitan area on a phased basis.

The drug court has been operating with a limited remit in Dublin on a part-time and pilot basis for five years. It will now be put on a permanent basis and will deal with applications from all parts of Dublin, with Judge Bridget Reilly in charge of proceedings.

The drug court uses an interdisciplinary approach that gives assessed clients the option of following a closely monitored treatment programme as an alternative to a court sentence. The drug court team consists of a judge, a probation and welfare officer, an addiction nurse, a Garda liaison officer an education/training representative.

Tributes were paid to Judge Gerard Haughton, who steered the court through its pilot phase.

(Source:'Drug court to cover all Dublin area': Irish Times p. 4, 02 Feb 2006)