Over two dozen people may have overdosed on the illegal drug 'liquid ecstasy' at a west Dublin Halloween party.

Gardai today urged anyone who took the substance at a party in three houses at Annaly Court in Ongar, to come forward.

It's now feared that individuals who live alone could have returned home after the party, and fallen ill, unknown to their friends and family.

Three people were admitted to intensive care unit at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown, one in a serious condition, following the party early on Sunday morning. Eight others were admitted for minor treatment.

Trace

Three of the 11 remain in a stable condition at the hospital today, and gardai have now pleaded with other partygoers who may have taken the sedative to attend for treatment. They are today trying to trace the source of the drug.

Sources said that over 20 people may have ingested the drug at the party, and it's feared that batches of the drug may have been sold to other people and may not yet have been taken.

'Liquid ecstasy' is a sedative which can be lethal when combined with alcohol. It can also be inhaled.

The Halloween party was spread across three houses at the estate. Paramedics were called to one of the houses and discovered a man in his 30s unconscious.

They initially feared he had suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, until they spoke with other partygoers.

Calls were then placed from two other addresses at the estate, and three men were taken from those houses to hospital. Seven other people presented themselves for treatment voluntarily at James Connolly Memorial Hospital.

Up to a dozen gardai attended the scene, and sealed off one of the houses after paramedics had removed the injured people to hospital.

A garda spokesperson said: "We are appealing to anyone who attended the parties to seek medical attention without delay. Gardai are also appealing to family or friends of persons who may have attended the parties to check on such persons.

"The priority at this stage is to ensure that anyone who consumed or was exposed to dangerous drugs receives medical attention," the spokesperson said.

One of the parties took place at the home of Mary O'Leary, who said: "I got the fright of my life. Those drugs were nothing to do with us. I didn't even know somebody had brought them into the house until I saw someone collapse.

"There was only eight people here. Some of the other people who got in weren't meant to be in my house.

"I don't know anything about what happened to them. It was just a Halloween party."

Appealed

Gardai have also appealed to family and friends of anybody who was at the party to check on them. The Annaly Court area is home to young couples and foreign nationals.

Locals have spoken of their shock following the incident. Neighbours said that they party was 'not loud' and the first they knew of the emergency was when paramedics arrived at the scene.

Local Labour TD Joan Burton said: "The area is a nice, quiet place, and we're all hoping they they'll make a good recovery."

The investigation is still focusing on Halloween festivities in a ground floor apartment at Annaly Court, which was sealed off yesterday as Garda technical experts carried out a forensic examination.

hnews@herald.ie

- Cormac Looney and Alan O'Keeffe