The manner in which alcohol treatment services are provided across the State has been sharply criticised by the Irish College of Psychiatrists, which yesterday called for greater investment in addiction treatment.
It said current treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence consists of the provision of piecemeal outpatient services which have developed out of various local initiatives rather than any coherent and planned strategy.
Consequently, at a time when Ireland "has an alcohol problem of world-class proportions", services vary in quantity and quality, it said.
In a position paper on alcohol and drug treatment services in Ireland, it stressed that investment in services paid off. "Addiction treatment saves money for many Government departments by reducing utilisation of other health services, by reducing criminal activity, by increasing work productivity and by reducing dependence on social welfare.
"A recent review of the cost effectiveness of addition treatment in the UK found that society saved between £9.5 million and £18 million for every £1 million invested in addiction treatment. In other words, Irish taxpayers get a ten-fold return on their investment in addiction services," it said.
"It is clear that Ireland has an alcohol problem of world-class proportions. It is time that we had a world-class treatment service to respond to this problem," it said.
The Irish College of Psychiatrists also said that while small numbers of patients with alcohol problems will continue to need periods of inpatient treatment, this should not be the first choice. It feels the needs of most patients can be met by specialist multidisciplinary outpatient addiction teams, which it refers to as the "missing link" at present.
It also says there is an urgent need to establish accessible addiction services for adolescents as well as a more comprehensive addiction treatment service within the prison setting, given the contribution alcohol and drug abuse play in crime.
The second report of the Strategic Task Force on Alcohol, published in September, pointed out that almost €6 billion is spent by Irish people on alcohol every year, with the Irish consuming more alcohol annually than all but one other country in the enlarged EU.
It said binge drinking, defined as having six or more standard drinks on a single occasion, has become the norm among Irish men.