Delay to State’s first drug injecting centre

The country’s first supervised injecting centre (SIC) has been delayed, and could be pushed well into next year, if planning permission is needed.

The HSE was due to choose the successful bidder for the pilot facility on November 1, but in a statement to the Irish Examiner it said that the decision would not be made until December.

The HSE, along with drugs strategy minister, Catherine Byrne, had anticipated that the SIC would be operational by the end of this year.