THE NUMBER OF people in Ireland who sought treatment last year for problem alcohol use was at its highest in over a decade, according to a health research centre.

The Health Research Board has found that 8,745 cases of problem alcohol use were treated in Ireland in 2024, a 7% jump on the previous year and the highest number of cases seen in in more than 10 years.

The board’s chief executive Dr Mairéad O’Driscoll said that the report “shows that alcohol remains the drug that most people seek treatment for in Ireland, and that numbers continue to rise”.

However, the proportion of cases needing treatment for alcohol dependency have declined, meaning that more people are seeking help at earlier stages before their problem use turns into a dependence on alcohol.

From 2017 to 2024, the proportion of alcohol dependent treatment cases has fallen from 72% to 56%.

Overall, nearly one in three cases of problem alcohol use last year also had a problem with other drugs.

Cocaine was the most common additional drug that was being alongside alcohol at 71%, which is a rise from 42% in 2017.

This was followed by cannabis at 49%, benzodiazepines at 18%, and opioids at 10%.

The median average age of alcohol treatment cases is 43 years old.  More than half of cases (60%) involved men.

The Health Research Board’s new report details that in many cases, both men and women are drinking more in a typical day than the recommended maximum for a week..

Dr Suzi Lyons, a senior researcher at the HEalth Research Board, said that although the report “shows the highest number of cases recorded in Ireland’s alcohol treatment figures in a decade, when we break these numbers down, the decrease in dependent drinkers seeking treatment is positive”.

“‘This is because we now know that more people are accessing treatment before they become alcohol dependent, which leads to better recovery and outcomes,” Dr Lyon said.

She noted that the “sustained rise in cases using cocaine with alcohol” is a “real concern”.

“Mixing substances complicates treatment, can hinder recovery and can also be dangerous,” she said.

“Alcohol and cocaine mixed together increases toxicity to major organs, leading to increased risk of stroke, heart attack, liver damage, violent behaviour, suicidal thoughts, sudden death and many other negative consequences.”