Intoxication holding areas needed to reduce wait times in Emergency Departments – Buttimer

Fine Gael Senator, Jerry Buttimer, has called for the introduction of separate intoxication holding areas in City Centre Garda Stations to reduce the pressure on hospital Emergency Departments.

Senator Buttimer said “Increasingly hospital Emergency Departments across the country are seeing unacceptable numbers of people attending due to high levels of intoxication. These people, many of whom have no ailment other than being severely drunk, are clogging up the system for genuinely ill people who find themselves waiting for hours on end to be treated. This cannot continue.

“This is not a new idea. Mobile or permanent drunk tanks have been used in many other EU Member States to good effect. Swedish police stations contain units for people who are a danger to themselves or others, to sober up, get basic fluids and care.  In the United Kingdom, mobile drunk tanks are regularly observed at large scale events such as concerts and festivals.

“I suggest that similar facilities here could be funded through the small fines issued against people found drinking on the streets or intoxicated in public places.

“I would like to see my own city of Cork leading the way on this. It would be great to see Cork City Council trial one of these intoxication holding areas in partnership with An Garda Síochána and the HSE. This could be piloted in either the Bridewell Garda Station on Kyrl’s Quay or through the use of a mobile drunk tank in Cork city centre on busy nights.”