Mr. Jack Nolan:

I might add a further comment in support of my colleague, Assistant Commissioner O'Driscoll. The research we have conducted and much of the academic literature on supervised injection facilities raises no objection to the police entering such facilities.

I am making the point in the context of a type of comfort factor and also as a mechanism of understanding and knowing the individuals involved and what goes on there. I understand from conversations with professionals in this general area in Dublin city that there is no deep unease about this facility being afforded to An Garda Síochána. As my colleague said, if there is some other reason for entering, other legislative provisions would have to come into play.

Senator Ó Ríordáin touched on a deep issue associated with supervised injection facilities. It relates not only to injection but to detoxification, medical care and the other facilities that probably should be available to ensure that these unfortunate individuals get the other care required to keep them alive. There is significant research evidence regarding the minimal number of deaths associated with overdoses in supervised injection facilities. That should be kept in mind.

The third point I picked up from the questions relates to the requirement for a collaborative approach between all the agencies involved. The police force is only one element of the overall model that is being pieced together. There are health, social and aftercare elements as well. We should keep that in mind in eliciting wisdom from these deliberations. We are at a relatively advanced stage but there probably should be further deliberation.