One step closer to supervised injecting rooms
Catherine Byrne, minister of state for communities and the national drug strategy, made the comment as 45 international drug policy experts gather in Dublin today for a summit at which issues such as monitored injecting facilities and decriminalisation will be discussed.
The previous coalition government had committed to exploring the possibility of setting up supervised injecting rooms and the plan has moved a step closer, with Ms Byrne stating: “I expect to be in a position to bring legislation which will allow for the operation of supervised injecting facilities to the Dáil in the coming weeks.”
The summit is organised by the Ana Liffey Drug Project in Dublin and its director, Tony Duffin, said it is now hoped that the first pilot injecting room could be operational this year.
Mr Duffin said that monitored injecting rooms make health interventions easier to apply and also reduce health risks.
The summit will also be attended by Ruth Dreifuss, the former president of Switzerland and now chairwoman of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
Ms Dreifuss said: “Harm reduction measures, including the boldest of them such as safe injection facilities, combined with decriminalisation, have proven the most effective in addressing the issue while preserving people’s dignity and reducing public expenditures.”
Switzerland became one of the first countries to introduce measures such as supervised injection rooms in the 90s.
The HSE National Service Plan also commits to establishing a pilot supervised injecting facility in the capital this year.
