Landmark Cabinet decision backs drug-injecting centres

The Cabinet made legal history yesterday by giving the green light for a State-backed facility where the injection of illegal drugs will be permitted.

The Government agreed to proposals, pushed by minister of state for drugs strategy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and supported by Health Minister Leo Varadkar, to establish a medically supervised injecting centre.

Mr Ó Ríordáin told the Irish Examiner he was “delighted” and said there was “round-table support” at the Cabinet. He said there were “operational concerns” from gardaí, but said they were not objecting to it.