A recent study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy examined the early impact of Dublin’s first medically supervised injecting facility, which opened in December 2024 at Merchants Quay Ireland.1 The facility was introduced as a harm reduction measure to address high rates of overdose and public injecting in Dublin city centre, where opioid-related deaths remain a significant public health concern.

The study assessed changes in discarded needles and other indicators of public disorder during the four months before and after the facility opened. Weekly patrols were conducted within a 500-metre radius to record discarded needles, drug-related litter, and loitering. Weather conditions were controlled for in the analysis to ensure accurate comparisons.

Findings showed encouraging early results. Although the average number of discarded needles per patrol fell by 20%, this reduction was not statistically significant. However, each additional client using the facility was associated with a 5% reduction in discarded needles, suggesting a positive relationship between service uptake and safer disposal. The weight of drug-related litter decreased significantly by 59%, while incidents of loitering outside the facility declined by 45%.

While the study covers only the first four months of operation, the authors note that findings support international evidence that supervised injecting facilities can deliver community-level benefits alongside harm reduction for people who inject drugs. Continued monitoring will be essential in order to assess longer-term impacts.

1    Evans D and Keenan E (2025) Dublin’s supervised injecting facility: an assessment of its impact on discarded needles. Int. J. Drug Policy, 147, 105101. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/44756/