Alcohol leapfrogs cocaine in addiction treatment
Alcohol has surpassed cocaine as Ireland’s biggest problem substance when it comes to addiction according to a new report launched in Cork.
The figures, published in Coolmine Therapeutic Community’s 2025 Annual Report, show that alcohol is now the most common primary substance among people presenting to the service. The report comes as Coolmine opens a new family support service in on Boyce’s Street in Cork city, bringing to six the total number of Coolmine sites in Cork.
In 2025, alcohol accounted for 37% of presentations, up from 26% in 2024, while cocaine accounted for 34% in 2025, down from 39% in 2024. Together, alcohol and cocaine represented 71% of primary substance presentations in 2025.
Cannabis accounted for 12% of presentations, followed by benzodiazepines at 9% and heroin at 8%.
Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, attended the launch, alongside The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Damian Boylan, and Pauline McKeown, Chief Executive of Coolmine.
Speaking at the launch at Coolmine’s Cork City South Hub, Ms McKeown warned that the number of people seeking support remains at a historically high level.
She said: “While the figures have broadly stabilised following the unprecedented growth recorded in 2024, more than 3,280 people turning to our services in a single year demonstrates the continued scale and complexity of addiction in communities across Ireland.
“Behind every figure is an individual, a child or a family whose life has been affected by addiction.
“Recovery is not a single intervention or a straight path. People need access to the right support at the right time, from initial engagement and stabilisation through to treatment, housing, family support, education, employment, and long-term aftercare,” said Ms McKeown.
More women and families access support
Women accounted for 42% of all people supported by Coolmine in 2025, compared with 35% in 2024. In total, Coolmine supported 1,378 women, while its gender-specific recovery provision increased by 12%.
The report also records a 47% increase in families accessing dedicated services, with 492 families supported in 2025 compared with 2024.
A significant development was the opening of the Teaghlach Coolmine Family Service in Cork, a community-based early-intervention service for parents, caregivers, and children affected by substance use. Its model combines the evidence-based Parents Under Pressure programme with play therapy and art therapy, placing the needs of the whole family at the centre of treatment.
Ms McKeown noted that addiction rarely affects one person in isolation and its impact can be felt throughout a family and, without the right intervention, across generations.
She said: “The considerable increase in families accessing Coolmine demonstrates both the need for these services and the growing willingness of families to seek support.
“Our family-centred programmes help parents rebuild relationships, create safer and more stable homes, and give children the opportunity to process difficult experiences.”