A plan to introduce drug-testing at major events in Belfast has been blocked by Stormont's Department of Health, despite unanimous support from the city council.

Earlier this year, Belfast City Council passed a motion calling for harm-reduction services to be explored at council-owned venues hosting large-scale gigs and festivals. The motion instructed public health bodies to examine the feasibility of a pilot scheme and requested an internal report on the council's potential role.

However, a report presented to councillors in June revealed that discussions with Stormont officials had confirmed no legislative framework, funding mechanism or operational model exists to allow the council to run such a service. The Department of Health told the council that drug-testing involves significant legal considerations under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, requiring licences to possess, transport and analyse controlled substances. No formal application for such a licence has been made in Northern Ireland.

The department described any proposal as a 'novel application' needing detailed assessment. It also stated there is no government funding available and the current substance use strategy does not include festival-based drug-testing. Any future policy change would require Executive approval.

Alliance Councillor Micky Murray, who tabled the original motion, said the council must take a lead if the department will not and proposed a roundtable of relevant organisations to map out a path to securing a licence for a pilot.

Green Party Councillor Brian Smyth argued that the legal barriers apply across the UK, yet drug-checking services operate under Home Office licences in England and Wales. He said the difference is a matter of political will and licensing interpretation, not legislation. He questioned whether the Health Minister's political priorities were influencing the department's stance.

Councillor Smyth said on-site testing reduces hospitalisations, overdoses and deaths, with evidence showing many festival-goers dispose of substances after testing flags risks. He criticised the department's support for amnesty bins and forensic testing with a 48-hour turnaround as useless for a live event. He called the department's position circular: no policy means no funding, no pilot means no evidence, and no evidence means no policy.

The committee agreed to write to the Department of Health requesting a formal paper on licence requirements for a pilot in 2027. It also backed developing a council operational model and considering international best practice and cross-border cooperation with the Republic of Ireland. The decision now awaits full council ratification.