'Buy-in' of gardaí 'crucial' in expanding drug diversion programmes, report says

Department of Health report says there is 'very limited use' of the Garda Adult Caution Scheme for simple possession of cannabis, with 5,139 people were given a caution between December 2020 and February 2024, compared to 17,125 people being prosecuted.

Efforts need to be taken at a high level to “secure the buy-in” of gardaí to expand existing diversion projects at arrest stage for people caught in possession of drugs, according to a Department of Health report.

The report says there “seems to be an appetite” among probation services, court workers and some judges for an expansion, but there is typically a reluctance among gardaí in diverting people at arrest stage from the criminal justice system.

“Criminalisation of drug possession has shown to be ineffective in reducing drug use while concurrently causing harm to individuals and society and placing continual pressure on justice system resources,” the report said.

The 20-page document, 'Alternatives to Coercive Sanctions', was compiled by an implementation group for one of six strategic priorities identified under a mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy 2017-2025.

The report also says there is “very limited use” of the Garda Adult Caution Scheme for simple possession of cannabis, given more than three times as many people were prosecuted in the courts.

It said only 5,139 people were given a caution between December 2020 and February 2024, compared to 17,125 people being prosecuted.

The report identifies nine diversion initiatives in Ireland, the majority of them local initiatives, with the Garda caution scheme the only national one.

One project that operates at arrest, or pre-arrest, stage was the Lear initiative in Dublin, operating since 2014 and extended to Limerick in April 2023.

It is a joint programme between local gardaí and the Ana Liffey Drug Project, where gardaí and project workers manage individual cases and focus on their addiction, homelessness, anti-social/criminal behaviour and mental health.

The Dublin project deals with 260 people a year, while the Limerick programme has managed 60 people in the first nine months.

Other projects work at the court stage, including the Dublin Drug Court, the Drug Treatment Court in Louth and the Cork Court referral programme.

There are also drug treatment services that take referrals from probation officers, with one covering Meath, another covering Roscommon, Galway and Mayo and a third in Donegal, with a post-prison scheme in Kildare.

The report says there “seems to be an appetite” for expanding diversion at arrest stage among the various services, except for gardaí, although it points out the Lear projects shows the positive view of gardaí to the initiative.

It says gardaí need to be informed of the evidence and be fully included in any such project.

“Given the gaps in awareness and understanding among Garda officers suggested here, strategic efforts to secure their buy-in will be crucial,” it said.