Cathal Mac Coille: Inaction on injection centres just kicks the can down the road

Fully four years after the Oireachtas backed the setting-up of supervised drug injection centres, not one of them has opened

Aodhán Ó Ríordain, the Labour TD who was the junior minister responsible for drugs policy when the change in policy was made by government in 2015, now favours establishing a mobile facility. Picture: Rollingnews.ie

The debate on decriminalising the possession of illegal drugs for personal use is far from over, as a survey published by the Health Research Board last month made very clear.

Its national drug and alcohol survey for 2019-20 revealed that while 88 per cent of those questioned were in favour of permitting use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, only 26 per cent favoured legalisation for recreational use.

The issue is just one of many controversial ...