Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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722. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to establishing a medically supervised injection centre in Cork; the work carried out to date in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56508/25]

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to a health-led approach to drug addiction. A supervised injecting facility (SIF) offers a compassionate, person-centred service that reduces the harms associated with injecting drugs.

The Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Act 2017 allows for the establishment, licensing, operation and regulation of supervised injecting facilities. The Government decided that the first SIF would be establish in Dublin city centre on a pilot basis.

The Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy granted a licence to Merchants Quay Ireland to operate a pilot supervised injecting facility in Dublin city centre, for a maximum period of 18 months, in line with planning permission requirements. The facility opened on 22 December 2024.

The SIF will be evaluated over the 18-month pilot phase and the findings will inform decisions about the development of new facilities in other regions. This includes the possible establishment of a mobile SIF in areas of need, as set out in the Programme for Government.

I support the supervised injecting facility as a harm reduction response to high risk drug use. I look forward to receiving the evaluation report on the pilot phase and to considering the next steps.