Electric Picnic festival is running Ireland's first drug-testing pilot this weekend

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  • After some confusion earlier in the week, the authorities have clarified they won't be monitoring the medical tents or amnesty bins.
  • Electric Picnic festival is running Ireland's first drug-testing pilot this weekend image
  • Ireland's first-ever back-of-house drug-testing tent is currently in operation at Electric Picnic festival this weekend. Inspired by UK organisation The Loop and backed by Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE), the pilot is a landmark moment for harm reduction in the country. It's also the first time illegal substances are being tested outside an official lab environment. Electric Picnic began yesterday, September 2nd, and will run until Sunday. "When back-of-house testing is delivered professionally [...] it can reduce drug-related harm, provide valuable trend monitoring data and act as a stepping stone to full 'front-of-house' drug checking at a future date," Fiona Measham, director at The Loop, told Resident Advisor. Ireland's police force, An Garda Síochána (AKA the gardaí), joins the HSE in supporting the pilot. However, earlier this week its top drug officer, Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack, angered critics by saying the pilot didn't grant anyone found with drugs amnesty from arrest. "The law hasn't changed," he told the Irish Examiner. "There is no change in legislation to facilitate the possession of illegal or controlled drugs." In the same article, McCormack said that, despite the police presence at the festival, officers wouldn't patrol the amnesty bins or medical and drug-testing tents. After District Magazine reported to the contrary (and subsequently published a correction), the gardaí issued a follow-up statement to clarify their position. According to the statement, the gardaí "doesn't routinely patrol any HSE-designated medical facility" and will "only assist in such environments on request of HSE staff." This was confirmed by a HSE spokesperson, who told RA that there will be no gardaí presence in the medical or HSE drug-testing tents "unless there is a specific public order risk." The spokesperson added that intel on "extra risky" substances will be relayed to festivalgoers during the event. Yesterday evening, Electric Picnic posted a warning on its social media channels about purple skull ecstasy pills with double the average dose of MDMA. But despite the gardai's assurances, some remain uneasy. Neasa Hourigan, parliamentary member of Ireland's Green Party, told RA she's "concerned by the tone and content" of the statement. She added: "Ultimately this pilot is government policy and it must be allowed to operate without impediment. As society has reopened post-Covid, we are seeing new and more potent versions of illegal drugs being made available. It's absolutely vital we try our best to keep people safe and protected in environments where we know they may be more vulnerable—that is what this pilot seeks to do. I hope the gardai take that intention on board and work with us to achieve it." Electric Picnic 2022 is taking place at Stradbally Hall, a large manor house in County Laois. Electronic highlights include VTSS, Mall Grab, Annie Mac and Jeff Mills.

RA