[Department of Health] Minister Murnane O’Connor grants a twelve-month extension to the licence to operate Ireland’s pilot Supervised Injecting Facility. (23 Jun 2026)
External website: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-r...
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’ Connor has granted a twelve-month extension to Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to operate Ireland’s pilot Supervised Injecting Facility (SIF) in Dublin city centre, under the Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Act 2017.
The facility operates from the Riverbank Centre in Dublin city centre and opened in December 2024. It has now been licenced to operate until 21 June 2027. It offers a safe, clean, and supervised space where individuals can inject drugs, under the care of trained medical professionals.
The purpose of the licence is to provide a dedicated facility to reduce the harms associated with injecting drug use. These harms include the risk of drug overdose and associated premature death, the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C, and the litter and anti-social behaviour associated with injecting drugs on the street.
From December 2024 to the end of May 2026 there has been a consistently high demand for the SIF, with:
- 22,000 attendances at the facility (circa 350 per week)
- 1,800 clients have used the facility (circa 150 per week)
- 380 interventions in drug overdoses (all non-fatal)
It was intended that the SIF would be operated on a pilot basis for 18 months, during which there would be an independent evaluation.
The licence has been extended for a temporary period of 12 months, which will enable the Department of Health to undertake a policy review of the establishment, licencing and operation of a SIF including the following tasks:
- Consideration of findings and recommendations of final evaluation report on the SIF due in Q4 2026.
- Making of regulations under the Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Act 2017, to specify the necessary information in an application for a SIF licence.
The executive summary of the independent interim evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the pilot SIF at 6 months, commissioned by the HSE from Queen’s University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin, has now been published. It documents early evidence of the impact and effectiveness of the facility.
Minister Murnane O’Connor said:
"I am very pleased to grant an extension on the licence for Ireland’s first pilot supervised injecting facility. The facility is a key public health development in our approach to injecting drug use. It prioritises the health and social needs of people who inject drugs and reduces the stigma and marginalisation associated with on street injecting drug use.
“It is reassuring that the independent interim evaluation of the SIF concluded that the impact and effectiveness of the facility has had a positive impact on service users and the wider community.
“I am very struck with the high demand for the facility with over 350 visits per week and 22,000 overall visits in the period to end of May 2026. The facility is clearly making a difference in vulnerable people’s lives with over 380 successful non-fatal overdose interventions through administering oxygen or naloxone.
“I would like to acknowledge the ongoing support and commitment of the HSE and An Garda Síochána to the SIF and for their positive advice to me on extending the SIF licence.
“I would also like to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, commitment, and compassion shown by the management, staff, and peer workers in MQI, in making the pilot SIF a success. I would also like to commend MQI’s ongoing positive engagement with local community representatives and stakeholders who in turn have been supportive of the facility."
The HSE’s Clinical Lead for Addiction Services, Professor Eamon Keenan, added the following:
“The Health Service Executive strongly supports the granting of the twelve-month temporary extension to Merchants Quay Ireland for the Medically Supervised Injecting Facility (MSIF). Early findings from the ongoing independent evaluation clearly demonstrate the positive impact for people using the MSIF in addition to the positive impact on public health indicators and community wellbeing. The facility has successfully engaged some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society, including some people who had never previously engaged with services.”
“There is evidence of reduced public injecting and reduced drug-related litter in the surrounding area. The service has demonstrated an increase in safer injecting practices and contributed to reductions in overdose presentations and emergency callouts locally. The MSIF supports a safer, cleaner environment for residents, businesses, and children. For the individuals who attend, there are clear health benefits with connections now available to Addiction services and other health and social care services.”
The licencing of the SIF meets a commitment in the Programme for Government and the National Drugs Strategy, it also aligns with a recommendation from the Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use to take measures to reduce the barriers to implementing harm-reduction approaches without undue delay.
L Social psychology and related concepts > Physical context, location or place > Safe spaces (injecting facilities / centre / consumption rooms)
T Demographic characteristics > Person who uses substances (user / experience)
T Demographic characteristics > Person who injects drugs (Intravenous / injecting)
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland
Repository Staff Only: item control page