Press release: Urgency in closing the gap between alcohol treatment needs and provision highlighted by new HRB figures

Alcohol Action Ireland Press Release: Wednesday 24 July 2024

Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) notes with concern the figures contained in the Health Research Board’s (HRB) alcohol treatment report for 2023, published today 24 July 2024.

Studies by the HRB have found 14.8% of the population in Ireland – 578,000 people – show evidence of an alcohol use disorder (AUD), with 90,000 of those having a severe AUD problem. International evidence suggests that at any one time, 10% of those in need may seek treatment. However, the data released today shows there were only 8,163 cases – 44% of which were new cases – gaining access to alcohol treatment services, so there is a significant gap between treatment needs and provision. 

AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany said: “To say there is a gap is a very diplomatic way of highlighting what in fact is a huge chasm between what’s required and what is currently in place. While we welcome the 10% increase in treatment cases since 2022, clearly, given the scale of the problem, alcohol treatment is not getting the resources required for a problem that causes so much harm not only to the individual, but to families and communities. 

“In its pre-budget 2025 submission, AAI is calling for funding to be provided to the HSE to develop its own treatment services that are trauma-informed, holistic and widely available at the time of need. A target of increasing alcohol treatment presentations by at least 20% annually for a five-year period should be set.

“Funding must also be provided for Alcohol Care Teams linked to all large hospitals. Such teams are a proven cost-effective approach to providing much needed interventions for people with entrenched problem alcohol use.

“The government should give consideration to developing a new ‘polluter pays’ alcohol levy system, similar to the Social Impact Fund which is proposed in relation to the gambling industry, with funding raised to be ringfenced for alcohol harm reduction strategies.”

With more than half of those in treatment having children under the age of 18, there is also an urgent need to provide services to children in their own right. 200,000 children in Ireland are living with the traumatic circumstances of a childhood where parental problem alcohol use (PPAU) is a frequent event. Dedicated funding must be provided to HSE and Tusla to give the national Hidden Harm framework – that recognises the adverse childhood experience of growing up with parental problem substance use – momentum and urgency.

Given the close connection between alcohol and domestic violence there is also an urgent need for early intervention support programmes such as Operation Encompass. In Northern Ireland where this programme has been in place since May 2023, over 23,000 referrals have been made in its first year, which gives an indication as to the scale of this invisible problem. AAI calls on Minister Helen McEntee to immediately act to implement Operation Encompass in Ireland.

Dr Gilheany continued: “In Ireland, we know that one in six children live every day with parental problem alcohol use and in many incidents, alcohol use is the catalyst to significant domestic disruption and abuse. In practice, Operation Encompass would facilitate an early information sharing partnership between Gardaí and schools, enabling schools and teachers to offer immediate intervention and support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.

“In May 2023, the programme was officially rolled out across all 1,162 schools in Northern Ireland. As of May 2024, more than 23,000 referrals have been made, giving a good indication of the scale of what has been up until now a largely unseen problem. AAI calls on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to swiftly introduce the legislation to enable its roll-out in Ireland. Traumatised children south of the border are no less deserving of support than their northern cousins.”

ENDS

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