Minister for Health Simon Harris TD and Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne TD, have today welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the establishment of a supervised injecting facility on Merchant’s Quay, Dublin city.
Minister Harris said: "This is such great news and will help save lives. A supervised injecting facility recognises the reality of addiction and that it is an illness and that behind that illness is a person in need of help.
"I want to thank Merchant’s Quay for their leadership on this. I look forward to this facility now proceeding and both I and the Government will do all we can to help.
"We have so much work to do as a country to tackle the scourge and pain of addiction. This is an important step forward.”
Minister Byrne said: ‘This decision is an important step in developing a public health response to the high incidence of drug-related deaths in the city centre. The supervised injecting facility will save lives and reduce street injecting and drug-related litter in the locality. It’s also a key commitment in our health-led National Drugs Strategy.
"I want to commend Merchants Quay Ireland for progressing the proposal for a supervised injecting facility. I also acknowledge the contribution of the HSE.
"I recognise that public acceptance and community engagement are critical factors for the successful operation of the supervised injecting facility. In my view, the facility should benefit the local community by having fewer people injecting drugs in public and having less drug-related litter on the streets.
"I intend to ask the HSE and Merchants Quay Ireland to actively engage with the local community to allay the concerns they may have about the operations of the supervised injecting facility. They also need to consider the conditions set down by An Bord Pleanála.
"I look forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver asupervised injecting facility that saves lives and improves the quality of life for the local community."
Notes to Editors
Supervised Injecting Facility (SIF) is a clean, safe, healthcare environment where people can inject drugs, obtained elsewhere, under the supervision of trained health professionals. It provides a compassionate, person-centred service which reduces the harms associated with injecting drug use and can help people access appropriate services. A SIF can help health services staff to reach and support vulnerable and marginalised people who often do not, cannot or no longer engage with existing health services.
Typically, supervised injecting facilities provide people who use drugs with sterile injecting equipment; counselling services before and after drug consumption; emergency response in the event of overdose; and primary medical care. The supervised injecting facility aims to:
• reduce drug-related overdose deaths
• reduce the risks of disease transmission through shared needles
• reduce public health risks such as needle-stick injuries and
• connect the most vulnerable and marginalised people who use drugs with treatment services and other health and social services.
The facilities typically consist of a reception area, a drug consumption area and a recovery area. In addition, they usually provide an area where people can receive support from relevant health services and support groups to help improve their health and social circumstances. The exterior of a SIF looks like any other health or social care premises.
There are now approximately 90 of these facilities worldwide, in Europe, Canada, and Australia. There is significant evidence gathered from these facilities of their benefits to people who use drugs and the wider society.
The supervised injecting facility to be developed by Merchants Quay Ireland will operate on a pilot basis for 18 months. It is intended that an external evaluation will be carried out by an independent agent engaged by the HSE at 6 months and again at 18 months. This will allow the impact of the facility on public health to be assessed, including the benefits to individuals who attend the facility and to the local community.
Further information on supervised injecting facility can be gothere: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/primarycare/socialinclusion/homelessness-and-addiction/supervised-injecting-centre/