Drugs Minister Aodhan Ó Ríordáin says that a supervised injection centre in Dublin will in place within 12 to 18 months – if legislative blockages are “unblocked”.

Last month, Ó Riordáin gave a speech in London where he backed the de-criminalisation of possessing small amounts of drugs. Later on that same week, he spoke on radio about introducing medically supervised injection centres in Dublin where drug users could go to inject themselves.

Speaking today at the launch of figures on drug deaths from the Health Research Board (HRB), he added that the plan, which will see one centre located in central Dublin, is attracting interest from drugs task forces around the country.

The HRB’s figures show that there were 86 poisoning deaths in 2013 where heroin was involved.

Two in five of those who died were not alone at the time of their death, something the HRB says shows lives could have been saved.

Ó Ríordáin says that the centre would be in a “location where people are well used to dealing with this kind of clientele” adding that people should not have reservations about the centre because it provides a safer alternative.

“It’s a new departure for Irish drugs policy, so I want to be sensitive about how I approach it