Ireland must prepare for fentanyl surge, says Taoiseach

It comes as gardaí have issued a warning about fentanyl in recent weeks by confirming that criminal networks are now examining ways of bringing the drug to the Irish market.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Varadkar said: "Generally, whatever mega-trends are happening in the world affect Ireland sooner or later.

"So, whether it was crack cocaine, whether it was meth [Methamphetamine], now, it's fentanyl, it's more likely than not that that will come to Ireland and become, unfortunately, an issue that we have to deal with. 

And you'll know from America, a huge amount of the increase in homelessness, street homelessness in particular in America, is linked to fentanyl use.

Mr Varadkar said "the only silver lining" is that "at least we have a little bit of time to prepare" and put in place measures to both clamp down on criminals who import drugs and to prevent addiction.

"We can learn from what they're trying to do here in America to deal with that, particularly around controlling supply, but also around providing treatment."

Fentanyl, estimated to be at least 50 times more powerful than heroin, has contributed to a devastating opiate epidemic in the US.

This week it was revealed that Irish American actor Angus Cloud, best known for his role in the HBO drama 'Euphoria,' died from an accidental drug overdose which included fentanyl.

Mr Varadkar was speaking after a baby died and three others were rushed to hospital after being exposed to the opioid at a daycare facility in the Bronx, New York.

One-year-old Nicholas Dominici died of a suspected fentanyl overdose. Police believe the children, ranging in age from eight months to two years old, inhaled fentanyl at the nursery. Mr Varadkar described the death of a toddler in a childcare centre as "scary".

Asked about the fact that the public are now being urged to carry the fentanyl antidote narcan in New York, he said there have already been pilots to provide naloxone in Ireland, a similar treatment used to counteract heroin overdoses.

"We have a programme to provide addicts and their family and their partners with naloxone so that so that they can administer first aid. I don't think that would mean everyone going around with it — everyone doesn't go around with epi-pens. 

"But making that kind of first aid rescue medicine widely available does make sense in my view, as long as it's done properly, and people are trained on how to use it. It can do very little harm but potentially can save a life."

While the numbers being treated for fentanyl have remained low in this country, earlier this month Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau warned that there are new concerns around its importation.

“We are satisfied that Irish criminal networks have been considering the supply of fentanyl into the Irish market," he told the Citiizens' Assembly on Drugs.

"This is a very concerning development as fentanyl is not just significant as you know, to opioid users, but is a risk to all drugs consumers, as cartels can add fentanyl to other drugs to increase addiction, thereby increasing customer base leading to greater profits and drug deaths."