'Injecting rooms' for Irish drug users proposed by Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

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Image caption An Irish government minister has proposed opening medically supervised injecting centres in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick next year

Drug users in the Republic of Ireland should been given access to "medically supervised injecting centres", a government minister has said.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, who is responsible for the national drugs strategy, announced the proposal in a speech at the London School of Economics.

He said the centres were a "controlled environment" that could encourage drug users to seek help to beat addiction.

He denied they were a "free for all" for those who wish to inject drugs.

'Compassionate'

"Addiction is not a choice, it's a healthcare issue," Mr Ó Ríordáin told the London School of Economics IDEAS Forum.

"This is why I believe it is imperative that we approach our drug problem in a more compassionate and sensitive way."

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Image caption Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is a junior minister with special responsibility for Equality, New Communities, Culture and Drugs Strategy

The junior minister said the Republic of Ireland, particularly Dublin, had a "problem with street injecting".

"These drug users are at increased risk of overdose and blood-borne disease infections, and the general public is at risk owing to unsafe disposal of syringes and other drug paraphernalia."

'Not the answer'

Mr Ó Ríordáin said research had shown that supervised injecting centres helped to reduce risky behaviour among drug users that could lead to blood-borne virus transmission, overdose and death.

He added: "A medically supervised injecting centre is not the answer to the drug problem, but could form part of a suite of harm reduction measures, as a way of managing the problem."

The Irish Times reported Mr Ó Ríordáin as saying that the centres would open next year, beginning in Dublin, followed shortly afterwards by Cork, Galway and Limerick.

However, the radical proposals are likely to face some opposition, particularly ahead of a forthcoming general election due in early 2016.

'Comfort zone'

Marie Byrne, the founder of the Irish addiction counselling charity, the Aisling Group International, has already criticised the plan.

She told the Irish radio station Newstalk that medically supervised injecting centres create "a comfort zone" for drug use.

Ms Byrne said a similar policy in Sydney, Australia, had failed.

She claimed it had a negative effect on the areas in which the centres were based, making them "more unsafe" and causing property prices to fall.