The planned supervised injecting centre is a “specific” public health measure being taken to tackle Ireland’s very high drug mortality rate, the Government says.

An Garda Síochána is supporting the forthcoming supervised injecting centre not just because it’s Government policy but because it is the “right thing to do”, Dublin’s police chief says.

Businesses in Dublin are considering legal challenges against government laws which will allow supervised drug injection centres in the city centre.

Senior gardaí have described reports that they are opposed to government plans for a pilot drug injecting centre as “way off the mark”.