Micheál Martin 'open to' medically supervised drug injection centre in Cork

However, the Tánaiste also said he is concerned about the State's liability if people are injured, become ill or even die

Micheál Martin said: “I’d be open to (an injection centre in Cork), but I’d be worried about the ethics around some of that from a State point of view.” File picture

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he is open to the development of a supervised injection centre for drug addicts in Cork, as health experts warn of the arrival of potent new opioids. 

Discussions on a medically supervised injection centre come after a spate of overdoses linked to powerful synthetic opioids, up to 40 times stronger than heroin, in Cork and Dublin. 

Mr Martin said ethical and legal concerns would have to be addressed before providing a safe space for people to inject. 

“I’d be open to it, but I’d be worried about the ethics from a State point of view,” Mr Martin told the Irish Examiner. 

"Is the State then responsible for any negative consequences for facilitating injection?” 

Put to him that the State wouldn’t directly run such a facility, Mr Martin said: “That doesn’t absolve the State because the State obviously would resource it through a third party, like Merchants Quay. The State is still responsible in many respects then."

An interim feasibility study from University College Cork is to be delivered by the end of February. It will identify if there is a need to establish an injection facility in the city. The final report is due four to six weeks later.

Drug use has changed in recent months in Cork with the arrival of potent synthetic opiates and a “frightening” spike in overdoses has been “very, very challenging” for health professionals, according to David Lane, General Manager for Social Inclusion and Primary Care with the HSE’s Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

A multi-agency group has been established in Cork to look at emerging drug trends, including the HSE, Cork City Council, addiction services and homeless services, with weekly meetings to closely monitor drug use.

A HSE warning about the potent and potentially deadly synthetic opioid nitazene is still in place for Cork and Dublin, with the last update on January 12, following a spate of overdoses in both cities.

Some 17 overdoses were recorded in Cork over 10 days before Christmas.

No overdose deaths linked to nitazenes have currently been confirmed in Cork but drug users did die during that period, although toxicology and coroner’s reports have not yet been returned.

The first supervised injection centre in Ireland, to be run by Merchants Quay Ireland, is expected to begin operations in Dublin city this September.

It will allow people to inject drugs within a supervised healthcare environment, providing clean injecting equipment as well as counselling services and emergency care in case of overdose.

The aim is to reduce drug-related deaths and stop the transmission of diseases through shared needles.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said the Dublin centre – which will be run for 18 months as a pilot – will inform the future development of more facilities in other parts of the country.

Mr Martin said that Governments have attempted to deal with drug addiction in other ways in the past.

“When you look at the heroin issue in the 90s, we went at that through substitution – methadone – so the concept isn’t a new concept,” Mr Martin said.

“It doesn’t necessarily result in elimination of the addiction overnight but it did allow rehabilitation to a significant degree for the individual."