In his foreword in the National Substance Misuse Strategy steering group report, released last February, group chairman Dr Tony Holohan spoke of Ireland’s "long and sometimes difficult association with alcohol".
"As a society, we must understand, accept and deal with the negative consequences that arise from our use and misuse of alcohol," he wrote.
Later the report highlights that:
- Alcohol was responsible for at least 88 deaths every month in 2008;
- It is a contributory factor in half of all suicides;
- Is a factor in deliberate self-harm;
- Increases the risk of more than 60 medical conditions and is associated with 2,000 beds being occupied every night in Irish acute hospitals, one-quarter of injuries presenting to emergency departments, and over half of attendances to specialised addiction treatment centres.
Clearly then, it was important that those appointed to the steering group be singing from the same hymn-sheet — ridding society of the excesses which have blighted so many lives in this country.
However, documents released to the Irish Examiner following a Freedom ofInformation request show that from the start, elements of the group had a very different focus to many of their colleagues.
Source: Stephen Rogers, Irish Examiner, 13/04/2012
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