The Minister of State for Disability Issues Finian McGrath has called for injection centres and drug treatment facilities throughout Dublin to ensure services aren't just focused on the city centre.
It comes amid suggestions that Ireland's first medically supervised injecting facility on Merchants Quay is unlikely to open until at least next year.
While it was initially hoped the pilot injection centre would be opened in 2017, the project has faced several delays.
Last week, Merchants Quay Ireland was given an extension until September to provide further information about the project to Dublin City Council.
Reports over the weekend indicated a unit of the HSE is among the groups who have raised concerns about the planned facility in Dublin city centre.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Minister McGrath suggested that more facilities are needed.
He also insisted he'd "absolutely" support such centres opening in his own constituency in Dublin Bay North.
He said: "As far as I'm concerned, these are very, very important centres to treat people who are on drugs or are addicts.
"I just found it very, very unusual that a section of the HSE has issued a tender for a controversial drug injection centre - and then objected to it being located beside their own office. There seems to be a contradiction there."
He argued that the centres should be built in communities throughout Dublin so services are not just focused in the city centre.
The Independent Alliance TD acknowledged that people have 'genuine concerns' about the location of the planned injection centre.
However, he added: "The bottom line is that we need centres for people who are addicted to drugs right across the city.
"You cannot allow the situation to develop where all the drug treatment centres are in town.
"It's essential they are spread across the city, then you get away from the ghettoisation of these particular services."
