Ireland is facing the imminent threat from the Class A drug fentanyl.
The drug is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and heroin, and is a leading cause of death in the United States.
Fine Gael MEP Colm Markey said its only a matter of time before it reaches Ireland.
"I think it's a very real threat. In America, at the moment, there's an epidemic of fentanyl use. It's attributed to over 100,00 deaths. The reality is that the use of heroin has reduced due to a lack of availability. So, it's big in America at the moment. The Taoiseach has already mentioned that it's only a matter of time before it reaches Europe".
