Minister Burke announces €250,000 in funding to continue to support the Irish Men’s Sheds Association
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Colm Burke has announced renewed funding of €250,000, which will continue the Department of Health’s support of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association. This funding acknowledges the contributions of the Irish Men's Sheds to their communities through their civic, recreational, and social activities, and their positive impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of members.
The Irish Men’s Sheds Association now provides benefits to thousands of men across Ireland. Achievements in 2023 included the establishment of an additional 20 new sheds and support for the development of Men’s Sheds in Mountjoy Prison Training Unit, Castlerea Prison, Shelton Abbey Open Prison, and the National Rehabilitation Hospital Dun Laoghaire. The Sheds Information Helpline assisted 4,115 men with queries in relation to either running and operating, or joining, a Men’s Shed. You can read the press release here.
The Health Research Board published factsheet on alcohol-related harm by health region
The Health Research Board (HRB) said there were over 20,000 alcohol-related hospital discharges in 2023, compared to 17,500 in 2022, with HSE Dublin and North East region having the highest rate of alcohol-related hospitalisations in the country, followed by HSE South West - Cork and Kerry. Figures broken down across the six HSE regional health areas for alcohol-related discharges per 100,000 of the local population show:
· HSE Dublin & North East (A) has a rate of 521 per 100,000
· HSE South West — Cork and Kerry (D) — has a rate of 447
· HSE Dublin & Midlands (B) has a rate of 440
· HSE North & North West (F) has a rate of 413
· HSE Dublin & South East (C) has a rate of 375
· HSE Midwest (E) has a rate of 280
The report shows that per capita alcohol use stood at 9.9 litres in 2023, down slightly on 2022 (10.2) and compares to 9.5 in 2021. Between 2014 and 2019 it averaged close to 11 litres annually. The report said the majority of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 has been commenced, adding that this legislation puts Ireland “at the forefront” of countries observing WHO recommendations on reducing alcohol use and harms. The full report is available to read here.