Drug injecting centre due in early 2024

Prof Eamon Keenan joined a delegation from Cork City Council and Gardaí to Lisbon recently where they observed the operation of fixed and mobile injecting facilities.

The long-awaited pilot drug injecting centre in Dublin should be operational by early next year, the HSE boss over the project has said.

Professor Eamon Keenan said they would have to go back to the Department of Health for more money as building costs have increased since the previous tender for the project was done some five years ago.

But he said everyone, including the government, was “committed” to the project, which was legislated for in 2017 but only cleared a final legal hurdle last January.

Prof Keenan also joined a delegation from Cork City Council and Gardaí to Lisbon recently where they observed the operation of fixed and mobile injecting facilities, or consumption rooms as they are typically known in much of Europe.

The HSE addiction lead said the authorities in Cork had a “bit of work” to do before applying for their own injecting centre, but said they would have the experience of the Dublin project to aid them.

Prof Keenan said the original tender for the building of the pilot medically supervised injecting facility, in Merchant Quay Ireland’s offices in Dublin city, was conducted five years ago.

Rising costs

He said the project was given a budget based on that costing, which is now “higher” and that “robust” discussions were currently underway with the parties.

He said this did not “jeopardise” the facility and said everyone, including the government, was “committed” to it. Prof Keenan said it would mean “going back and looking for more money” from the department.

Once that process was completed the project would be put out to EU tender.

“I just want to temper expectations. It would be great if we had it this year, but, realistically, I think we’re starting early next year,” he said.

Prof Kennan gave the update during the launch of the HSE’s Safer Nightlife harm reduction programme, which will see outreach at music festivals and ‘back of house’ drug checking at three festivals.

The first is at Life dance music festival in Co Westmeath this weekend and the third is due to be Electric Picnic at the end of the summer festival season, where the country’s first official drug testing was held last year. The third festival has not been confirmed yet.

Under ‘back of house’ testing, users receiving care in the medical tent can surrender substances into a bin. Likewise, users can dispose of substances in a surrender bin at the HSE harm reduction tent.

The HSE said these are “safe spaces” and that they and Gardaí are working closely to ensure people can anonymously and safely dispose of drugs.

The testing will allow scientists to identify substances that are either particularly potent or contain unexpected, and potentially more dangerous, chemicals.

Prof Keenan said more extensive ‘front of house’ testing – where users could legally present drugs for testing and be informed of the results - would require “specific legislation” and agreement of the departments of health and justice.

See drugs.ie; search #HSESaferNightlife.