One of the country’s leading psychiatrists said the Mater Hospital has a “zero tolerance” approach when it comes to illicit drug use at its psychiatric wing — staff immediately kick the offender out.

Staff at an acute psychiatric unit in Ennis have confirmed that drug use among patients has been a problem but said no such unit was likely to be “immune” from the issue.

Complaints have been made to gardaí about illegal drugs being smuggled into a hospital in the West for use by patients in the psychiatric wing.