Documentary about Ireland's first supervised injection facility to air this March

Virgin Media have announced the release of Ireland's First Safe Injection Rooms, a documentary about Ireland's first Medically Supervised Injection Facility (MSIF).

The documentary follows Riverbank House's MSIF, which opened in December of 2024 and is managed by Merchants Quay Ireland.

The centre provides a safe, medically-supervised healthcare environment where individuals can inject drugs obtained elsewhere under the supervision of trained health professionals. It seeks to reduce harms associated with injecting drug use and help people access appropriate services.

Local residents and business have expressed concerns about the MSIF, arguing it might cause a rise in anti-social behaviour, decrease neighbourhood safety, strain local healthcare and social services, and impact property values negatively.

The documentary follows the project from start to finish, and features all interested parties, including the centre's staff, local residents and activists, and facility users.

The legislation for the MSIF was officially introduced in 2017 after being championed by then Minister for Drugs, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. The following year, Merchants Quay won the tender to operate the MSIF pilot scheme but were then thwarted in their attempts to open it by a series of prolonged planning wrangles.

After opening in December of last year, the MSIF will operate on a 12-month pilot basis before being fully evaluated.

In an interview for Hot Press last year, drugs harm reduction expert Tony Duffin supported the facility's opening, and said activists had been asking for such a facility since 2012.

"There's engagement and discussion with the member of staff about not only drug use, but also other issues in their lives," explained Duffin. "They sit down and prepare their drugs as they would normally, but in a very safe space with a clean worktop and sharps (needles) available.

"Afterwards, the equipment will be disposed of, and the person can go to another room to chat to a member of the team before they leave the premises. The staff can then monitor the person to see how they are doing."

Ireland's First Safe Injection Rooms will air at 9:00pm on Monday, March 31 on Virgin Media Play and Virgin Media One.