Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the words of Deputy Michael Harty, "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 in public places." Fianna Fáil supports this Bill, which would introduce supervised injection facilities. It is designed to avoid drug-induced deaths. It is obviously not the sole answer to the drug scourge we have. The Government will have to increase funding to detox centres to allow people who want to tackle their addictions to get the support required. Increased investment in education is also much needed.

I understand some of the legitimate reservations raised, but the centres should provide safe space for drug users to help ensure they use clean needles and dispose of them properly. At present, people are injecting on street corners across Dublin city and, as such, measures to tackle this, even in the short term, must be piloted. We want to see regular reviews, including feedback from stakeholders, undertaken to measure the Act's success if passed. For too long we have invested taxpayers' money in schemes which do not work and which are a waste of money while being of no benefit to the user. This Bill must not turn out this way.

Ireland has the highest proportion of intravenous heroin users in Europe, and the rate of drug related deaths in Ireland is three times higher than the European average. This is a shocking statistic which again leads me to call for greater investment in education and detox centres. A supervised injection centre must be a gateway to effective treatment, rehabilitation and intervention aimed at harm reduction for those suffering from addiction. This cannot be another Band-Aid on a failing health service. The injecting rooms should be based in centres and as part of a network of services and supports so that they facilitate early intervention and offer a pathway to recovery for drug users. The centres, if successful in tackling drug related harm, have the potential to become a longer-term viable public health measure which seeks to provide a safe and supervised space for people to deal with their addictions. Nonetheless, this is only one part of a solution to the overall drug problem in Dublin in particular. However, it has the potential to be a part of that answer so that, at the very least, individuals ravaged by addiction have the opportunity to retain some dignity while we work to try to help them beat their terrible addictions.

Notwithstanding my comments, I have liaised with many people involved in this sector, including Councillor Frankie Keena, who is based in Athlone and who has done much voluntary work over the past 20 years in the Athlone and Westmeath region. He highlighted some very valid concerns, one of which is whether this legislation would effectively legalise the possession of heroin within the four walls of these centres. The Act states that if a service provider identifies an area that needs such a centre, the Minister has the power to decide where the centre goes and there is no provision for consultation with elected members of local authorities or the public. My other concern is the staffing of these centres. What if, God forbid, a service user overdoses and dies in such a centre? What emergency facilities will be in place? How will staff members be protected from a medical and legal viewpoint? This issue must be teased out further. Finally, it is somewhat disconcerting that we are almost dependent on drug pushers, and the criminality associated with that, to feed this service.

I hope these valid concerns can be explored on Committee Stage. We are not ruling out proposing further amendments to the legislation.