Drugs surrendered by festival-goers, as well as those confiscated will be tested at next month's Electric Picnic.
As thousands descend onto the town of Stradbally in County Laois in September, it's hoped a new pilot drug testing programme will reduce the amount of drug-related illnesses, and even save lives.
Under the plans, the HSE aims to test drugs given up by the public at designated tents spread around the festival grounds.
At the tents, the public can anonymously put the substances in a ‘surrender bin’, where they'll subsequently be tested.
Drugs of concern identified by medics will also be analysed by the team.
Professor Eamon Keenan, HSE Lead for Addiction Services outlines what happens once drugs are surrendered.
"Nobody will get any drugs that are put into a surrender bin back. Also, anything put into a surrender bin will not be linked back to an individual.
"These are drugs which are being discarded, in normal circumstances, they would be destroyed but we're going in and analysing these drugs to see if there is a harmful component in them."
Director of Electric Picnic Melvin Benn says people will be notified if dangerous batches are in circulation.
"We're able to then put messages out on the screen and on the app that if you're in possession of this particular drug be careful it's got this level of strength."
The pilot is also being supported by the Department of Health and Culture.
The HSE hopes to improve harm reduction responses within to nightlife settings through the pilot.
If successful, it's likely to be rolled out in nightclubs in the near future.
