Belfast councillors support safe injecting facility proposal

There are around 200 Overdose Prevention Facilities operating in 16 countries across the world

Belfast city councillors have voted to pass a motion to set up a safe injecting facility to help prevent overdoses among drug users.

The facilities allow drug users to inject substances like heroin under the supervision of trained medical staff.

Green Party leader Mal O'Hara tabled the motion and said it would help to save the lives of the most vulnerable.

But despite the council vote, a change in the law would be required before any such centre could be set up.

"While there is a long way to go on the establishment of a centre like this, it is an important milestone," Mr O'Hara said following the vote on Wednesday night.

"A centre such as this can reduce the level of drug debris, making it safer for workers, visitors and communities.

"More importantly, a centre such as this can save lives," the councillor added.

The council motion pointed out that there had been almost 350 drug-related deaths in Belfast from 2017-2021 and more than 1,000 needles were recovered each month.

There are about 200 overdose prevention facilities currently operating in 16 countries across the world.

Users of the services receive clean needles, mental health support and supervision by medical staff who can respond quickly to an overdose.

The Belfast City Council motion, signed by Mr O'Hara and seconded by his party colleague Cllr Brian Smyth, acknowledged that the facility could not operate in Northern Ireland without legal changes.

"While we are conscious that the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is an inhibitor to the establishment of this service and that it would require some form of special legal dispensation from the Act for the facility to be lawful, it is clear that current policy is not saving lives," the motion stated.

'We have to act'

Currently there are no overdose prevention facilities in the UK or Ireland - despite moves being made in both Scotland and Dublin.

Dr Gillian Shorter, from Queen's University Belfast, said: "On the eve of celebrating the Good Friday Agreement it's disappointing to note that the largest number of drug-related deaths are in the age ranges of 25-39.

"We owe it to the ceasefire babies to deliver on our promises and give our young people a future."

Dr Shorter described the current drug deaths in Belfast city centre as "frightening" and said "we simply have to act".

"We cannot see more of our young people dying on the streets of Belfast," she said.

Since 2018, 814 people have died from drugs overdoses in Northern Ireland.

With drug deaths at an all-time high, Cllr O'Hara said he hoped "a facility like this will prevent the spiralling drug deaths in the city".

Previously, Northern Ireland's chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said consideration should be given for the establishment of such a centre.

But the decision to provide these rooms would be for a Stormont minister, he added.

Northern Ireland's devolved government at Stormont has not fully functioned for more than a year and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is refusing to restore power-sharing in protest over post-Brexit trade rules.

The council motion said that in the absence of an assembly to deliver reform, the council would lobby the Belfast Health Trust, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Departments of Health and Justice and the Attorney General "to make the case for special dispensation".