Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 4, line 29, to delete “and An Garda Síochána” and substitute “, An Garda Síochána and Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces.”.

As the Minister of State knows, I am very much in support of medically supervised injecting centres. However, issues have been coming up in the work I am doing in my constituency and also in a number of committees on which I serve. There was a concern that the Garda should be informed if the person who is making use of the injecting centre is no longer eligible to be there as a prescribed user. That is what this amendment addresses. It is a question of keeping in mind the best reputation of these centres, to allow their work to be done in a fair and impartial way and also in a dignified way that respects those who are using them. There would be concerns that if somebody was no longer eligible and this was not known there could be an abuse of the services at the centre.

See this speech in context