Independent general election candidate Gerry O'Boyle has said that there needs to be urgent attention paid to the treatment of people suffering from alcohol abuse. Mr O'Boyle claimed: "Alcohol abuse has never been as high in Mayo, as people are coming under more pressure from mortgage arrears and financial stress. If you have an alcoholic you have no place to treat them or deal with them. A&E don't want to know. We have no alcohol addiction clinic or treatment centre."
He continued: "In private clinics you have to be dry/free of alcohol to be seen or to be taken in to receive help or treatment or to be admitted into care. As for mental health services, we need a better mechanism put in place. We haven't got the correct provisions in Mayo to deal with the mental health services situation."
He concluded: "I yet again call on our Taoiseach Enda Kenny and our Government to give their utmost attention to alcoholism and the mental health service and to put direct provisions in place. It's treatment we need, not punishment, for these people and I see it first hand being one of the founding members of Mayo Eviction Free County and in dealing with families on the ground; alcoholism and mental health is one of the darkest issues that goes on behind families' closed doors."
