Drug services are being 'dumped' into Dublin city without one authority taking responsibility.
That's according to Martin Harte, CEO and co-founder of the Temple Bar Company.
It comes amid a wider debate around safety in the capital.
Mr Harte told The Pat Kenny Show Dublin is not alone with these concerns.
"Dublin is a capital city, and every capital city has these issues," he said.
"However there's a couple of things that are specific to Dublin, and that Dublin has to deal with that makes things a little bit more complicated.
"The issue of drugs - drug use, drug provision and drug services - is a major issue for the city.
"The majority of people who use drugs aren't drug addicts, and they don't create issues or problems.
"But there is an enormous number of people - chronic drug issues and problems - that can only avail of services in the city centre".
'Perception of safety'
Mr Harte said this creates a 'sense of chaos'.
"You're bringing in very vulnerable people, these people are victims, into the city centre to access services.
"These are being targeted by drug dealers... and it creates that sense of chaos.
"That smell of cannabis, people shouting at each other and so on.
"It's not a major crime, but it does affect your perception of safety".
Street signs in Dublin's Temple Bar. Picture by: 4k-Clips / Alamy Stock PhotoMr Harte said any change around decriminalisation could complicate things further.
"As we move into this [we have] the provision of all these services within the city on one hand, and then we have policy - it looks like Government policy - to decriminalise possession," he said.
"I believe... that that's going to further complicate things within the city centre.
"You're going to have on one side - the demand side - being able to be in possession of drugs could be decriminalised, but the supply side is going to be criminalised.
"How are the police going to manage this?"
'Left to deal with this'
Mr Harte said the city is offering drug services without one authority taking responsibility.
"Dublin City Council have no role in this, they're not the health authority or the drug service authority," he said.
"We have a problem where a lot of these things are being dumped into the city.
"It's not the responsibility of the City Council, yet they're left to deal with this.
"It's not the responsibility of the police to provide social care to the city and I think that's a big problem.
"I think that's the biggest problem that's going to affect Dublin going forward," he added.
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