The Secretary General of the Department of Justice has said he is disappointed with the Dublin Drug Treatment Court Programme.
Sean Aylward told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee that the programme is being evaluated, but he did not think it was working and it might be time to try something else.
The Drug Treatment Court Programme enables drug addicts who are convicted of non-violent crimes to get a ‘chance to escape the cycle of drugs, crime and prison’.
The Comptroller and Auditor General, John Buckley, said there had been a low participation by addicts in the programme.
He said that between 2002 and 2008 only 22 offenders a year had been admitted to the scheme - a fifth of what had been expected and 17% of them had completed the programme, to the satisfaction of the court.
Fianna Fáil's Darragh O'Brien said the figures showed that on average of only three people had graduated from the treatment programme each year.
Department of Justice’s Caroline Murphy said others had taken part in the programme but had not completed it.
She said they had to look at whether more addicts could be placed on the programme or whether a better use could be found for the court.
