Pregnant people who are injecting drug users are a very vulnerable group and will require specific supports.  This group will not be excluded from the service and we will have a dedicated staff member with expertise in this area. We will obviously be reviewing this prior to opening and ensuring that our own practice is in line with current Irish legislation and international best practice. We, of course, are aware of our responsibilities under the Children First Act 2015 and will act in accordance with these.

87% of drug MSIFs internationally do allow pregnant people to use their services[i]. We will also be seeking guidance from the HSE, TUSLA as well as discussions with MSIFs internationally.

[i] Belackova, V., Salmon, A. M., Schatz, E., Jauncey, M. (2017). Online census of Drug Consumption Rooms (DCRs) as a setting to address HCV: current practice and future capacity, Amsterdam, Sydney: International Network of Drug Consumption Rooms, Correlation Network, Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre p18