By Katy Thornton
This centre will have the capacity to “save lives”.
A new medically supervised injection centre is set to open within the next 12 months.
At the end of 2022, An Bord Pleanála granted temporary permission for Ireland’s first facility of this nature to open in Dublin. Merchants Quay will host the facility, a nonprofit organisation that provides services for people who are homeless and those struggling with addiction.
Merchants Quay will become a supervised injection facility for a period of 18 months, after which a review will take place to determine how its presence is affecting the surrounding area.
Delighted to have @1Hildegarde here sharing her thoughts on the homeless and addiction crises in Ireland. In her speech she says, “We need to make sure the drugs issue is treated first and foremost as a public health matter and not a criminal issue.” pic.twitter.com/Ern28lcmrp
— Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) (@MerchantsQuayIR) October 19, 2023
New medical facility will save lives, says Merchants Quay chief
Chief executive of Merchants Quay Ireland Eddie Mullins recently told The Journal that getting the project running is the “absolute priority” for them over the next year.
Mullins believes that these kinds of facilities will “save lives” and hopes that following a successful trial run that Ireland will see the roll-out of mobile injection clinics, the likes of which that already operate in Portugal. These clinics have the ability to bring the resource to specific communities that might need them.
The centre will allow drug addicts to inject themselves in a safe environment, with clean needles, and provides space for drug waste to be disposed of correctly.
In the event of an overdose, immediate care would be provided.
Header image via Merchants Quay Ireland
This article originally featured on Lovindublin.com
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