Donegal County Council has passed a motion calling for the proceeds of crime to be redirected into local addiction services, youth organisations and community initiatives.
The government is being urged by the council, and 14 other county councils, to implement changes to use monies confiscated under the “Proceeds of Crime Legislation” to support community addiction services.
The motion was brought before DCC by Cllr Niamh Kennedy, who commented that it “could never be more important than to do this now.”
Cllr Kennedy explained that money redirected from central coffers could benefit addiction services, finance Joint Policing Committees throughout the country, support domestic violence services and mental health services and fund youth awareness and training.
Cllr Kennedy’s motion was passed, with the council agreeing to write to the Ministers for Justice, Finance and Public Expenditure to request the provisions and to ask that the necessary legislation is changed as a matter of urgency to allow this vital funding support to happen.