An addiction treatment service is calling on the Government to introduce minimum pricing on alcohol as a matter of urgency.

Aiséirí says it has seen the most significant rise in the number of young people and adult women being admitted to its services in the first six months of this year.

Its adolescent centre dealt with 119 admissions in 2013, but by June of this year there had already been 101 admissions, with alcohol being the main issue.

Aiséirí is calling on the Government not to reduce excise duty on alcohol in the budget and to restrict its availability to young people, by introducing minimum pricing on all alcoholic drinks.