Tony Gregory
Question:76 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the designated custodial treatment centres where drug users may be sent by the courts as provided for in section 28 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977. [3358/96]
Written Answers. - Custodial Treatment Centres.
Following the enactment of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Act the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum was designated a custodial treatment centre. However, only a limited number of places are available in Dundrum and the numbers now charged and imprisoned for drug related offences are very much greater than that envisaged when the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1977 was enacted. It is not considered feasible to set up a parallel detention facility to the State's penal structure to provide for the care and treatment of drug misusers, who become the responsibility of the prison authorities upon their imprisonment.
However, my Department has had discussions with the Department of Justice about the services available for drug misusers in prisons and the question of designating custodial treatment centres will be considered in that context.