Legislation
Draft legislation for the introduction of medically supervised injection units was presented to the Minister of State with the responsibility for Drugs Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD yesterday by the Bar Council of Ireland’s pro bono programme, the Voluntary Assistance Scheme (VAS).

Public drug use
Tony Duffin, Director, Ana Liffey Project said that it is hoped that the draft legislation presented to the Minister for Drugs today will enable him to move forward with an initiative which will provide much needed support for some of the most vulnerable members of society:

“For people who use the Ana Liffey’s services, public drug use is often a daily occurrence. Many are homeless or in unstable accommodation where they are asked to leave in the morning and return in the evening. For them, injecting in public is the norm. And it’s good for no-one. Those doing it are further isolated from services, and are at heightened risk of overdose. Coupled with that, there is a significant amount of unsafe disposal of drug paraphernalia, which is both unsightly and dangerous”

Policy response
According to Mr. Duffin, an MSIC could help address these issues:
“MSICs are clinical, supervised spaces where people can inject their illegally obtained drugs and avail of social and medical supports. They are used in other cities around the world and their efficacy and cost effectiveness is well documented in the research literature. If we are going to have a policy response to drugs that is modern, realistic, and based on outcomes and value for money for the tax payer, MSICs need to be on the table. The problem is that they are illegal.”....

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