Ireland's First Medically Supervised Drug Injection Facility in Dublin Granted Permanent Planning Permission

AN COIMISIÚN PLEANÁLA (ACP) has granted permanent planning permission for Ireland’s first medically supervised drug injection facility (MSIF) at Merchant’s Quay in Dublin. This decision allows the facility, which opened in December 2024 under temporary 18-month permission, to continue operations permanently, ahead of its temporary permission expiring next month.

The ACP found that the MSIF would not lead to an over-concentration of social support services in the area, nor would it harm local amenities, the economy, or the public realm. The decision followed an appeal by Patrick Coyne against Dublin City Council’s earlier grant of permanent permission. Coyne argued the application relied on incomplete data and ignored cumulative effects.

Planning consultants Brock McClure, representing Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI), submitted data from December 2024 to September 2025, demonstrating the MSIF’s effectiveness. During this period, there were 179 non-fatal overdoses, with 98 requiring oxygen and 81 requiring naloxone and oxygen. The facility recorded 10,723 visits, with daily visits increasing from 16.9 in January 2025 to 51.8 in September 2025. The report emphasized the ongoing need for the MSIF to reduce overdose deaths, public injecting, and link vulnerable individuals to support, stating that Dublin continues to experience high levels of drug-related harm.