FG need to take political ownership of drug injecting centres
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly, has called on Fine Gael to take political ownership of ensuring a drug injecting centre is delivered.
Deputy Kelly said:
“It is disappointing that planning permission has been denied for a drug injecting centre in Dublin.
“Fine Gael and in particular Ministers Simon Harris and Catherine Byrne need to take political ownership of this issue. I would hope and expect that the Ministers and their Department would put their name to any appeal to an Bord Pleanála.
“Working with the HSE, the Ministers in question should start looking at alternatives sites. We cannot be left in the ridiculous situation again where one arm of the HSE is raising objections to planning permission of drug injecting centres.
“If we are to have a health-led approach then there needs to be political buy-in from the Ministers at the Department of Health.”