Vol. 522 No. 3
133 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children the information available to the Government on the cost to the State or business in general caused by the abuse of alcohol, with particular reference to such issues as absenteeism, family breakdown, divorce, road accidents, child abuse and related social issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18585/00]
The health promotion unit of my Department prepared the national alcohol policy in 1996. As explained in that policy, estimating the economic cost of alcohol related problems is fraught with difficulties due to the problems of gathering accurate data on true costs and the exclusion of other social costs which cannot be accurately quantified. Quantifiable costs for some of the measures were estimated in 1988 using criteria in relation to workplace production losses due to absenteeism, illness and accidents attributable to alcohol, losses from road accidents, expenditure on health treatment of people with alcohol related problems, expenditure on social welfare payments and expenditure on resources on police and social workers in dealing with alcohol related problems. The total cost based on the 1988 figures was £263 million, of which £138 million was borne by the State. Allowing for inflation this figure was estimated at £325.6 million in 1995.
