Vol. 270 No. 1
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state in respect of each calendar month in the past five years the number of convictions for drug-pushing for (a) cannabis, (b) LSD, (c) heroin, (d) barbiturates, (e) morphine, (f) pethidine and (g) amphetamines; and the sentence imposed in each case.
579.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state in respect of each calendar month in the past five years the number of convictions for possession of (a) cannabis, (b) LSD, (c) heroin, (d) barbiturates, (e) morphines; (f) pethidine and (g) amphetamines; and if he will state in respect of the offenders (a) their average age and (b) the number who were (i) addicted or dependent on drugs (ii) given therapy subsequent to their conviction and (iii) sent to prison without therapy.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 578 and 579 together.
Crime statistics are compiled on an annual basis. Figures for individual months are of no particular significance, depending as they do on a variety of accidental factors such as adjournments, and they could only be compiled at the expense of other more urgent work.
The most recent calendar year for which statistics relating to drug offences are available is 1972 and the numbers of convictions for the years 1968 to 1972, inclusive, were as follows:
|
1968 |
1969 |
1970 |
1971 |
1972 |
|
|
Unauthorised possession of drugs |
8 |
50 |
62 |
82 |
179 |
|
Unlawfully supplying drugs |
4 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
The annual Crime Reports of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána for the years 1970, 1971 and 1972, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, include a breakdown of the various types of drugs in respect of which charges were brought during those years. Corresponding particulars for earlier years were not published.
The average age of persons convicted on charges of unauthorised possession of drugs is not available.
The persons convicted of unlawfully supplying drugs during the years 1968 to 1972 were dealt with as follows:—
|
Year |
Type of Drug |
|
|
1968 |
4 persons sentenced to 2 years imprisonment each. |
Morphine and heroin in each case |
|
1969 |
1 person sentenced to 3 months imprisonment. |
Methedine |
|
1 person given the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act. |
Cannabis |
|
|
1970 |
1 person sentenced to 4 months imprisonment. |
,, |
|
1 person sentenced to 9 months imprisonment. |
,, |
|
|
1971 |
1 person sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. |
,, |
|
1 person given a 6 months suspended prison sentence. |
,, |
|
|
1 person bound to the peace for 1 year. |
Diconal |
|
|
1972 |
1 person given a 3 months prison sentence and a suspended prison sentence of 3 months. |
Cannabis |
|
1 person sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. |
,, |
|
|
1 person sentenced to 8 days imprisonment and fined £30 |
,, |
|
|
1 person sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. |
,, |
|
|
1 person put on probation for 2 years. |
,, |
In the years 1968 to 1972 inclusive the numbers of offenders committed to custody on conviction for possession of drugs were as follows:—
|
1968—1 |
|
1969—5 |
|
1970—12 |
|
1971—16 |
|
1972—30 |
Statistics are not available which would indicate the number of those convicted for possession who were addicted to or dependent on drugs because addiction or dependence is regarded as an illness or medical condition and is not statistically recorded. Where such persons are in custody, they are accommodated in the medical wing of the prison or detention centre for observation and appropriate treatment and are referred by the medical officer for outside specialist treatment if such treatment is considered to be necessary.
