Press Release
Statement from Merchants Quay Ireland
Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) has decided to lodge an appeal with An Bord Pleanála regarding planning permission for a Medically Supervised Injecting Facility.
Extensive international evidence clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of injecting facilities. These facilities have been repeatedly shown to support people in addiction and on into treatment, as well as reduce public injecting and drug-related litter.
Two out of every three injecting deaths in Ireland occur in Dublin city. These fatalities are more than statistics – they are the tragic loss of someone’s brother, mother, neighbour or friend. We have a duty as a society to protect our most marginalised and vulnerable citizens.
The development of this service is part of the Programme for Government and is in the National Drugs & Alcohol Strategy – Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery. We acknowledge the support given by Minister Catherine Byrne to MQI in developing the facility, and we will continue to engage with the Department of Health, HSE, and Dublin City Council to progress the appeal.
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For more information, see Merchants Quay Ireland’s press release on the refusal of planning permission by Dublin City Council: Supervised injecting facility decision ‘puts lives at risk’, says Merchants Quay Ireland (26 July 2019)
