Vol. 526 No. 1
146 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the garda investi gation has been concluded into the distribution of contaminated heroin in the Dublin area earlier in 2000 which resulted in the death of eight people; when the last incidence of the use of contaminated heroin came to the attention of the Garda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25775/00]
I have been informed by my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, that there were 22 reported cases from 13 April to 31 May 2000 with the case definition "severe inflammatory process" linked with injecting heroin and eight of these persons have died. A bacterium, clostridium novyi, was isolated from two of those who died. The outbreak investigation team of the Eastern Regional Health Authority is collaborating with teams in Glasgow and the UK on the matter and are conducting case control studies.
The Garda authorities have informed me that an investigation was conducted, under the direction of the chief superintendent in charge of the Garda National Drugs Unit, to examine the circumstances surrounding these deaths. The investigation involved liaison with the families and friends of the deceased, health authorities both here and in Scotland, the Strathclyde Police and Dublin City and County Coroners Office. The Garda have identified possible sources of the heroin used in these cases. A number of samples of heroin and biopsy samples taken from the deceased were forwarded to the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, in the United States. The initial results received have proved to be inconclusive. The Garda investigation is ongoing.
