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THE NHS IN England has set aside £300,000 (€331,000) for so-called “drunk tanks” to allow festive revellers to sleep off the drink without having to go to A&E.
These services have been trialled before in a bid to prevent drunk people causing an unnecessary demand on emergency services, Sky News reported, with NHS chief executive Simon Stevens saying that it “does not stand for national hangover service”.
Calls for similar measures here have been made before, with Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer saying this year that people who present to A&E with no other ailment than being severely drunk “are clogging up the system for genuinely ill people who find themselves waiting for hours on end to be treated”.
The term drunk tank has of course passed into Christmas folklore as it features in the opening line of the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York.
So, today we’re asking you: Should the HSE pay for so-called ‘drunk tanks’ over the festive period?
Pay for them yes, but then follow up by charging full whack to its customers.
@iohanx: not exactly realistic but nice thoughts
@iohanx: well said, especially since they seem to have no problem sending debt collectors after cancer survivors
@iohanx: how about the Vintners association pay for it… With the extortionate prices some charge its only fair.
@Ian Breathnach:
That’s unlikely to reduce the prices
@Ronan McDermott: why is it not realistic to expect drunks who are a nuisance to the public and a potential danger to themselves and others to pay for their own sobriety treatment, ? this is exactly what happens in Poland and other countries
@Patrick James Walsh: how do you expect them to enforce it ? How do you expect them to prove who the drunk people are ? And confirm their address ? What if they don’t pay ? What if they’re homeless? How do they collect if they can’t prove an address ? Should an already ridiculous legal system waste more time over monies they’ll probably never see? Who will run the drunk tanks? Who will supervise ? Nurses ? Yes like we have loads of nurses to just ask to deal with drunk people instead of sick people . Maybe if you think this exercise is doable you should volunteer your time to deal with the drunk people in there . And don’t forget to use the proper disinfectant when mopping the puke up.
@iohanx: By same sentiment, should we charge smokers full whack for their cancer treatment?
@Ronan McDermott: @Ronan McDermott: most people would have a credit or debit card on their person. This could be used as a deposit like they do in hotels. Send a bill to the address given, if it’s not paid then charge the card. It’s not going to cover every scenario, obviously.
@iohanx: Or we could fund our health service properly like the UK and then people wouldn’t be on here so much demanding that citizens pay for it…… this is exactly what they want you to think so they don’t have to do a better job! We’re paying for it through tax over and over,…. yet still need health insurance and cancer patients are being hounded by debt collectors. Wake up!!!
@James Wallace: ah come on. I don’t think thd author of this article actually knows what a drunk tank is. A drunk tank is where police pick up drunk people and drop them off at the “drunk tank”. That way nobody else has to deal with them. Nobody checks themselves into a drunk tank. Nobody should expect a drunk tank user to pay for it.
@iohanx: Yes those with means
Think if you end up in need of assistance because of alcohol there should be an automatic fine of €250.
@The number 78: Automatic fine here in Melbourne is $590 no arguments
@The number 78: there is already a system on place that if you end up getting arrested for just being drunk, to a point that you are a danger to yourself or other members of public there is a €100 fine as opposed to court. Obviously if you are aggressive/fighting that’s a different story and court could follow.
‘Enjoy A&E responsibly’.
106 voted No (so far) and the only comments are in support of them. So why the No votes lads?
I think the idea of charging for the service is a good one. And put the money back into the hospitals.
@Michael O’Neill: exactly… Where is the NO voters comments? As it stand the current system is costing the tax payer much more than a drunk take will. As a paramedic working in Dublin it’s very disheartening to know that vital services (999 operators, ambulance, Garda, nurses, doctors ect) are being clogged up by drunk idiots with no other alternative… I’m all for the drunk tank
@Danny Dorney: the two boys mad for an argument on the journal
@Barry Zuckerkorn: No. Just wondering why people are voting no. It’s not mad for an argument. Is it unreasonable to ask why people think it’s a bad idea or do you prefer the head in sand approach?
@Michael O’Neill: you misunderstand the concept of the drunk tank. There’s several elements to it such as the drunk person knowing they’re going there and not caring as they know they’ll be out in the morning therefore not kicking off on law enforcement while being brought there. Not meaning to be smart but everyone thinks they know everything about everything. Nothing is ever plain cut
@Ronan McDermott: The article talks about people going to A&E. Maybe I misunderstand why people would go to the A&E when drunk.
As to not meaning to be smart, don’t worry about it, didn’t get that impression at all.
@Danny Dorney: put them in the drunk tank and charge them an exit fee to cover costs.
@Michael O’Neill: Yes to Drunk tanks but also a sustainable fine say €300.
If you’re stupid enough to get that pi€€ed, then you should face the consequences.
Brought into hospital for drink related injury or harm should come with a €1k fine.
Might see a major change in abuse,
@Trevor Hayden:
From € 250 to €590 to €1,000 in three posts,
inflation is rough around here.
@Patrick Nolan: Imagine charging someone a grand the week of Christmas for having a few drinks too many. The government make enough off the tax of alcohol, that should cover it fine.
@Padraig Bateman:
You misunderstood my sentiments, I don’t think €1,000 is high enough…
@Trevor Hayden: bit dramatic innit
@Jordan Osullivan: Unless it’s an innocent person by a drunk moron, no i don’t think so.
People would be more likely to show some restraint rather than face that penalty.
@Patrick Nolan: The price of oil doesn’t go up that fast!!!
@Patrick Nolan: By same sentiment, would you charge smokers full whack for their cancer treatment?
@Trevor Hayden: no ADS or TV SHOW the truth about alkohol
If you can’t hold your drink don’t drink
Public intoxication is already an offence. So is serving a drunk person in a bar. All authority’s, not just the Garda, need to start taking responsibility for this and start enforcing the law.
@Darragh Tomás Mac Amhlaoibh: Do we use the same limit as Driving to determine who’s drunk in a bar?
@Darragh Tomás Mac Amhlaoibh: Jesus Christ do you people think we’re all monks
@samstheman: if bar staff cant tell when someone is drunk -they should not be working as bar staff !! i have seen it for myself on many occasions -people so drunk they cant stand – seen them fall off bar stools almost comatose -and what do their ‘mates’ do ? “give him another shot / pint / whatever ” and the bar staff duely oblige . there is no proper training of bar staff in this country – in fact their is no proper training of landlord and licence holders – so long as you have the money -any fool can buy a licence and open a pub – most landlords are only interested in the money going into their tills not their customers health or well being .
If it means keeping the p#!*×s away from real emergencies and elderly in a&e then yes stick them in the tank.
It’s not the HSE paying for anything. It’s the tax payer.
Send anyone lifted a bill for there time in the drunk tank.
A lot of these so called drunks are hard working people that work their arses off to make ends meet and pay taxes during the year.
The Christmas breakup is their chance to let the hair down and have a blast.
There is quite a good chance I will be one of them tonight .
Don’t be too quick to brand everyone with the same label.
@tommytukamomo: that’s fine, do what you want. But if take up valuable time from Gardai or paramedic staff you should pay for it.just because you pay your taxes does not mean you are immune from it.a real typical Irish comment you made there.
@John: I already pay through the nose and backside to keep the likes of you and the other pious pontificating curtain twitching kiljoys your insulated ivory towers.
Do have a nice Christmas.
@tommytukamomo: No problem with you getting drunk. I think the point of the poll is the idiots that can’t manage their drink. Probably 99.9% of people who get drunk can do so without involving the Gardai or hospitals.
@tommytukamomo: ‘paying for me’……..I have worked all my life,paid my taxes all my life and bought my own house.nobody pays for me sadly(hate to burst your bubble)
The EM departments are in business of looking after the sick not drunks they have enough on their plate I’d be pi#sed off if drunks can get in front of sick people.
Was Christmas eve babe,
In the drunk tank,
An old man said, son,
I wont see anothe one
@BarronVonVaderHam: was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
This old man said son
Gonna be a costly one
I know a copper who is in full agreement with Drunk Tanks.
Said it would make their life SO much easier.
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won’t see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
@☘: This isn’t Facebook
When the first person dies from an undiagnosed epidural haemorrhage they will realise why they were stopped in the first place.
While the idea of freeing up Emergency Rooms is a noble one, I would expect something like this would create further problems.
Drunk people are more likely to become unwell, and may present with subtle neurological signs that non-medical people might not appreciate. Is it ethically acceptable to not care for our sick, drunk or otherwise?
Ireland in general has a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Quite aside from the drunks who simply need to sleep it off, we have the drink fuelled assaults, road traffic accidents, as well as thousands of fractures/falls/lacerations/head injuries as a result of accidents while drunk. Then we have the thousands of patients with drink related medical conditions such as Atrial Fibrillation, heart failure and cardiomyopathies, pancreatitis, liver disease, mouth and throat cancers, bowel cancer, bladder cancer This is before we even begin to mention the pink elephant in the room… the degree of mental health disorders in this country associated with substance abuse – and yes alcohol is an abused substance.
If the HSE needs to address anything, its Ireland’s attitude toward drink. We even have taxpayer sponsored politicians campaigning to allow drink driving in certain parts of the country. This kind of deviant thinking is dangerous in society. We need to protect our own. From drunks and from drink.
Why should the HSE pay for people who purposely poison themselves with alcohol let them wallow in their on vomit and faeces, Happy Christmas everyone :D
@samstheman: One too many doesn’t normally end up with you in hospital.
I thought the drunk tank referred to in the song was a cell in a police station?
Anybody rotten drunk presenting to an A& E hospital should be charged €500 for the treatment they expect from medical personnel. They will not to be too keen to repeat their visit the next time they get over the top with drink.
Great idea ……but why do we always wait for the Brits to come up something and follow same …are we not capable of our own thoughts and decision making process.
This model of dealing with drunk people is full time in Sweden ‘ the Police manage it at stations and there is a nurse that observes the drunks.
Works well there
Take the cost of the stay direct from source, no excuses.
Should be charged the same as a 5star hotel zap the card and put them to sleep
Thats 300000 that could go to cancer research or palliative care for those with terminal cancer.
Anything that keeps them lunatics out of A&E should be funded. Sure I’ll even throw in a fiver meself.
….until a drunken individual dies or develops other serious symptoms which cannot be addressed in ” the tank”. Would need a major Compo fund, because suing due to ” neglect” will be foremost in the minds of some.
Community service. There’s plenty to be getting on with out there. E.g. help out with Simon it the SVP
I voted no
It should be the vintners association that sets this up and pays with assistance of the Garda
Regarding the people who use it. If any charges are applies, they either wont go there, their friends wont bring them and if they did, would take a long time to get any response, money
It should be used to take people who are pissed as a kite off the streets and make the streets safer for them and others.
people need to calm down on the old booze and stay safe over xmas period.
Alcohol is a lethal drug that takes lives. Even though its legal its still a dangerous drug
Great idea
No, make the IVF pay for it.
When I was in the drunk tank last Christmas Eve I met an old man who was pessimistic about making it to another Christmas.
have your say