The decision by Dublin City Council to refuse planning permission for a new injecting centre for chronic heroin addicts is "reprehensible" and a represents “a dereliction of duty”.

Dublin City Council planners said that while they noted that the proposed supervised injecting facility was “national policy”, their job was to determine its impact on the “vitality and viability” of the area where it was to be located.

The future of the proposed supervised injecting centre hangs in the balance as Merchants Quay Ireland considers whether or not to appeal a decision refusing it planning permission.

Dublin City Council planners said that while they noted that the proposed supervised injecting facility was “national policy” their job was to determine its impact on the “vitality and viability” of the area where it was to be located.

Drugs strategy minister Catherine Byrne has said she is “disappointed and frustrated” at the further delay in implementing the Government's decision to introduce a supervised injecting facility.

A plan to set up Ireland's first supervised injection facility in Dublin has been refused by planners.

Charities have warned that the spiralling homeless crisis could become viewed by the public as unsolvable unless the number of people in emergency accommodation is reversed.

The homelessness crisis is taking an increasing toll on people's mental health, with one support service carrying out nine crisis interventions every working day since the start of the year.

The number of unique clients using the country's first homeless night cafe rose by 10% last year, with Merchants Quay Ireland revealing that more people pushed into homelessness because of the housing crisis are accessing the service.

The planned new State-funded injecting centre for chronic heroin and cocaine addicts in Dublin’s inner city is to cater for around 60 addicts each day and is to open at 6.30 each morning.

The country’s first night café for homeless people received more than 22,000 referrals last year and dealt with almost 2,000 clients.

The number of referrals to the country’s only night cafe for homeless people soared to 24,556 last year.

The homelessness crisis has reached “unprecedented” levels and will only worsen as the winter approaches, the largest homelessness and drug agency in the country has warned.

The supply of drugs into prisons “seriously undermines” the ability of inmates to kick the habit, the country’s largest voluntary drug and homeless organisation has said.

The country’s only homeless cafe, operated by Merchant’s Quay Ireland, has become a vital service for hundreds of clients after just three months in operation, with up to 50 people a night sleeping there. Noel Baker spent a night on its floors

Homelessness and rough sleeping has become acceptable in Ireland, a leading charity has claimed.

The country’s largest voluntary homeless and drugs agency is witnessing ever greater numbers of distressed people coming into its soup kitchens and drugs services.

Drug-related deaths would fall and public injecting would decrease if consumption rooms were set up, two national groups have said.

The use of heroin outside Dublin continues to grow with the spread of the drug putting even more pressure on existing services, according to figures published by Merchants Quay Ireland.

Three quarters of Dublin’s heroin addicts are also hooked on other drugs, a study has found.

Three quarters of Dublin’s heroin addicts are also hooked on other drugs, astudy found.

A Dublin centre offering both homeless and drug treatment services is already at full capacity and fears it may have to curtail services if its funding is cut in the budget.

A leading homeless and drugs charity provided 73,000 meals to people last year, a rise of 9,000 on 2010, as the “devastating effects” of the recession deepens.

Heroin use in Dublin soared last year despite a drought in the drug for almost four months, it has been revealed.

NEARLY 600 new heroin injectors presented themselves to one of the country’s largest drug and homeless charities last year.

RED warning lights should be attached to a report highlighting the spread of heroin across the country, former prison governor John Lonergan has said.

THE number of heroin users in Dublin continues to grow – with an extra 642 new drug-injectors seeking help last year from one of the country’s leading charities working with drug users.

THE funding of a Government-led drug programme by a charity operating in developing countries raises serious questions about future drug funding, a leading voluntary drug service has said.

In its annual report issued yesterday, Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) stated that serious problems relating to heroin use are no longer confined to cities but are now prevalent in regional towns. The heroin problem has become a national crisis.

THE scourge of heroin is now a “national crisis” the country’s largest voluntary drug service has said.

EMPLOYERS could be held liable for actions of any employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol, if they don’t have proper drug policies, a conference heard yesterday.

ABOUT 1,000 syringes were found on the streets of Dublin city last year, prompting concerns at the dangers dirty needles pose to the public.

DRUGS strategy minister Pat Carey yesterday called on the Prison Service to examine the introduction of needle exchanges for injecting drug users in jail.

A HIGH-PROFILE media campaign is being developed to raise awareness of drugs among young people.

SERVICES should be set up across the country to provide clean needles to problem drug users, according to the nation’s biggest voluntary drug treatment centre.

INCREASING numbers of Eastern European nationals are using the services offered by one of the largest charities for homeless people and drug users in Ireland.

THE number of homeless people and drug users seeking help continued to rise last year, according to a leading charity.

THE largest voluntary drug treatment centre in the State has accused the Government of turning its back on the National Drug Strategy by cutting budgets and placing a moratorium on the recruitment of staff to addiction services.

IRELAND should consider giving heroin legally to addicts, a leading charity said yesterday.

SPECIAL rooms should be made available for addicts to inject heroin safely without the fear of being arrested, a leading charity said yesterday.

DRUG-RELATED deaths rocketed in the 1990s, according to a support group working with the homeless and drug users.