Push for CAB money for addiction services

A proposal to ringfence the proceeds of crime for local drug support projects has been dismissed by the Minister for Justice. However a local Independent believes that the issue remains viable.

Cavan County Council wrote to the Justice, Finance, and Public Expenditure Ministers to lobby for the spending of cash seized in local Garda operations on local drug support projects.

The correspondence came from a motion, tabled by Cllr Shane P O'Reilly (Ind), calling on Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, to ensure monies confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Legislation are redirected to local addiction services.

Cllr O'Reilly told members, when the topic was initially debated, that such a move would ensure the confiscated funds were spent to support youth organisations and community initiatives in combating the effect of addiction on local communities.

The motion was also passed in 23 other local authorities where Independent councillors across Ireland joined together in an effort to effect national action on the subject.

The reply from Patrick McCabe, private secretary to Minister McEntee, said it was the Justice Minister's belief that “it is a matter of great importance that the proceeds of crime are both recovered and reinvested back into keeping our communities safe”.

He told how existing legislation dictated that all confiscated funds must be transferred to the Minister for Finance. Mr McCabe said the disposal of assets are dealt with on a case by case basis.

The letter said: “It is believed that earmarking revenue for specific expenditure programmes would, in general, constrain Government in the implementation of its overall expenditure policy.”

Mr McCabe said that CAB have returned more than €194.5M between 1996-2019. They concluded by saying: “The Minister is satisfied that the Department's approach to tackling this matter is effective.”

Cllr O'Reilly told members at the March plenary meeting of the authority that this is not the end of the matter: “This has been moved on by a number of Independent elected representatives. Following further actions by Independent TDs, a memo is to be brought to cabinet on the subject. This shows how local authorities can work together to effect change for the betterment of communities. A total of 23 local authorities passed the motion unanimously. The cabinet now has to listen to our call.”