Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This meeting has been convened to consider the Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Bill 2017, the purpose of which is to provide for the establishment, licensing, operation and regulation of supervised injecting facilities for the purposes of reducing harm to people who inject drugs; enhancing the dignity, health and well-being of people who inject drugs in public places; reducing the incidence of drug injecting and drug-related litter in public places and thereby enhancing the public amenity of the wider community; and providing for other relevant matters. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for communities and the national drug strategy, Deputy Catherine Byrne. I also welcome her officials, Mr. Eugene Lennon and Mr. Eamonn Quinn. I ask Deputies to turn off their mobile phones because they can interfere with the recording of the proceedings. I have done so myself. I note that there are no proposed amendments to the Bill.