AN AVERAGE OF 8,000 people every year are being treated for problem drinking, with the figures peaking when the recession was at its worst, new figures have found.

More than 40,000 people needed treatment between 2008 and 2012, reaching its highest point in 2011.

Waterford had the highest number of new cases per head of population, closely followed by Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Wexford.

The counties with the lowest number of new cases were Clare, Roscommon, Wicklow, Mayo and Meath.

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