Alcohol treatment surges in south-east region

The number of people being treated for alcohol and cannabis abuse has surged in the south-east, figures show.

Abuse of benzodiaze-pines — legal tranquillisers — has risen, while heroin treatment numbers have dropped after several years of growth.

HSE figures for the south-east region — covering Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, and South Tipperary — show there was an increase of 6% in treatment cases, although it said there might be some overcounting.