Oireachtas committee to consider injection room legislation

Legislation to provide for the licensing of supervised injecting facilities for illegal drug users will be considered by the Oireachtas health committee today.

Dr Michael Harty, chairman of the committee, said: “The aim of this piece of legislation is to provide for the licensing of supervised injecting facilities in order to enhance the dignity, health and wellbeing of those who inject drugs in public places.

“These medically supervised facilities could reduce the incidences of public injecting, and associated drug related litter, whilst providing a harm-reducing environment for those that need it and preventing unnecessary deaths from unintentional overdose.”

“This health-led approach to problem drug use recognises that drug use is not only a criminal mater but also a health one, and one that requires new thinking to address an old problem.

“A harm reducing approach would go some way to decreasing the level of damage that substance users cause to themselves and their families through the provision of sterile injecting equipment, counselling services, emergency care and primary medical care.”

The committee meeting starts at 2.30pm today.