Press Release
Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day on Sunday, 31st August, Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI), the homelessness and addiction charity, is calling for urgent investment in recovery services to tackle Ireland’s escalating addiction crisis.
Eddie Mullins, CEO of MQI, said that while Ireland’s first Medically Supervised Injecting Facility (MSIF) has already proven to be lifesaving by reducing the impact of overdoses, the wider system is failing to keep pace with the growing demand for addiction support.
This is further highlighted by recent Health Research Board data published in September of this year, which recorded 354 drug poisoning deaths in 2021 in Ireland, equating to the loss of one person almost every day.
To prevent further lives being lost to addiction, MQI is urging the Government to ensure that both harm reduction, such as the MSIF, and recovery services are expanded and adequately funded.
Eddie Mullins, CEO, said:
“Every year, more people are turning to MQI for help. Yet the number of recovery services, detox beds and rehabilitation places are not increasing to meet that demand. It’s not uncommon for people to be on waiting lists for more than six months. That’s a long time if you’re living in the chaos of addiction. People can and do die while waiting”.
The MSIF is not just saving lives in the moment, but also acting as a gateway to wider health and recovery supports, reaching some of the most marginalised people who would otherwise inject in unsafe conditions.
Since its opening at the end of 2024, the MSIF operated by MQI at its Riverbank Centre has already shown its impact. To date, as part of its 18-month pilot programme, the service has supported 1,061 unique clients during 8,633 visits, preventing or reversing 138 overdoses, with zero fatalities and reducing the impact of overdoses on local emergency services.
Mr Eddie Mullins added:
“If we can get more people into recovery pathways and drug-free, the number of fatal overdoses will drop. Currently operating as part of a HSE eighteen-month pilot, the MSIF is already saving lives and showing the impact of a compassionate, evidence-based and health-led response to addiction.. But without parallel investment in detox and rehab, people will continue to fall through the cracks.”
