The number of people treated in hospital for drug or alcohol addiction disorders increased by nearly 10% last year.

More than 1,000 people had inpatient stays in 2017 or 2018.

According to details released under the Freedom of Information Act, 543 people had a main diagnosis of a drug addiction when they were discharged from an Irish hospital in 2018, compared to 498 the year before.

Source: HSE

The figures relate to inpatient or day cases, so do not include emergency department admissions.

There was a 19% increase in the number treated for alcohol dependence syndrome, or behaviour associated with it.

Last year, 438 people were treated for this reason, while the remainder were for other drug-addiction issues.

Of the 543 people treated last year, 351 were men and 192 were women.

Reporting by Eoghan Murphy