The HSE has confirmed a new drug to treat alcoholism will be made available through the medical card and drugs payments schemes.
'Selincro' works by curbing users' craving for alcohol, and trials have shown it can cut consumption levels by two thirds.
It's not yet known when the drug will come on stream through the HSE.
Chair of Population Health Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, Professor Joe Barry says around 150 thousand people in Ireland are dependent on alcohol - and use of this drug will have to be carefully monitored:
