Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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571. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline the progress on the evaluation of the drug treatment court, as identified as a strategic priority under the National Drugs Strategy Strategic Action Plan for 2023-2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15654/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is fully committed to reducing the harms caused to families and communities by illicit drug use. Three priority actions in this area are tackling organised crime, ensuring that we minimise the harms caused to those with addiction issues, and diverting people from involvement in crime and illicit drug related activity.

The Dublin Drug Treatment Court (Dublin DTC) is a supervised treatment, education, and rehabilitation programme, which provides an alternative to custodial sentences for persons found guilty of certain drug-related offences.

Established in 2001 on a pilot basis, it operates by way of a multi-disciplinary team made up of staff from the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána, the Probation Service, the City of Dublin Educational Training Board along with the Courts Service and the Judiciary.

The Strategic Action Plan 2023-2024 has identified six strategic priorities to drive progress under the National Drugs Strategy: Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery (2017-2025), led by the Department of Health.

Strategic Implementation Groups (SIG) have been established to support the implementation of these priorities and actions. The fifth priority group, known as SIG 5, is to reinforce the health-led, rather than criminal justice-led, approach to people who use drugs and who commit drug-related crimes.

Action 5.3 of SIG 5 is to evaluate the Dublin Drug Treatment Court and recommend the future direction of Drug Treatment Courts nationwide. This action is being led by my Department, in consultation with the Department of Health.

My Department has identified a service provider to carry out the evaluation, and is engaging with stakeholders, including the Courts Service and the Department of Health, so that the evaluation can proceed as soon as possible.