Resources for addicts to recover in Limerick prison ’quite limited’

RESOURCES for prisoners who want to tackle their addiction issues are "quite limited," an addiction worker told a Limerick Judge.

RESOURCES for prisoners who want to tackle their addiction issues are “quite limited,” an addiction worker told a Limerick Judge.

Ms Orla Judge, a case worker with the Ana Liffey Addiction Services in Limerick, was giving evidence in the bail hearing for a woman charged with alleged burglary and theft offences.

Judge Valerie Corcoran was told that Tracey O’Shea (38) suffers from addiction issues involving heroin and crack cocaine.

The court heard as part of her bail application, that if released she had a place to stay at Cronin Lawn in Shannon.

Ms O’Shea was before Limerick District Court facing charges of allegedly having broken into a house while the occupants were there, stealing a laptop and allegedly interfering with cars, stealing a car and theft of a purse and cash.

Gardaí were objecting to a bail application on her behalf on the grounds they were concerned she may not turn up for court, the seriousness of the charges, and the penalties if she was convicted on the allegations and concerns that she may commit crimes while on bail.

In defence of the bail application, her solicitor, Tom Kiely, called Ms Judge as witness.

He said that his client had an addiction problem but had previously gone into residential rehab and had remained clean and sober for eight years.

“Her sister died tragically, and she fell back into addiction. It would be in everyone’s interests if she could again avail of residential addiction treatment,” Mr Kiely said.

Ms Judge told the court that she had met with Ms O’Shea after the accused woman was referred to the Ana Liffey team through the LEAR (Law Engagement and Assisted Recovery) programme.

She gave evidence of a meeting with Ms O’Shea, in which “she disclosed that she had a period of sobriety that went downhill”.

“She was active in getting in contact with us … It is her own desire to enter residential treatment.”

Asked by Mr Kiely if his client had a better chance of rehabilitation if she was on bail and able to avail of residential treatment, Ms Judge said: “The service she can access (for rehabilitation treatment) in prison is quite limited,” adding that Ms O’Shea was more likely to get a place in a residential treatment centre if she was at liberty.

But Judge Corcoran said that having considered everything she had “given very weighted consideration to the evidence of Ms Judge,” but that this was based on one meeting in which the accused woman had expressed a desire for treatment.

Judge Corcoran noted that “she comes before the court an innocent woman,” but against all of that “she is addicted to heroin and cocaine. Those are very, very heavy duty drugs … I can’t in all good conscience grant bail.”

Ms O’Shea was remanded in custody to appear before the District Court again on September 15.