asked the Minister for Health the total number of admissions to psychiatric hospitals for the treatment of alcohol abuse in the years 1970, 1982 and 1983.
Written Answers. - Alcohol Abuse.
51.
The number of persons admitted to psychiatric hospitals (public and private) for the treatment of alcohol abuse was as follows: 1970, 3,073; 1982, 7,189; 1983, 7,100.
52.
asked the Minister for Health the estimated economic cost in terms of costs to medical and social services in caring for the victims of alcohol abuse per annum.
Because of the many ways in which demands on the health services can result, both directly and indirectly, from alcohol abuse, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to get an accurate estimate of the costs involved. The cost would include, for example,
—costs of treating alcoholic psychosis in psychiatric hospitals and community psychiatric services,
—costs of treating illnesses in General Hospitals and in the General Medical Service in which alcohol abuse plays a part,
—costs of treating families and affected relatives.
The matter has been examined in the Economic and Social Research Institute report "Drinking in Ireland" (1980) and it was estimated that roughly 3 per cent of total current spending on health was attributable to alcohol abuse.