There has been at least one baby born from Kerry affected by their mother’s use of alcohol or drugs during pregnancy every year since 2014.
HSE figures released to Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín show there were six newborns living in Kerry discharged from acute hospitals with an alcohol or drug-related diagnosis in 2015 alone.
These diagnoses include newborns affected by maternal use of alcohol or drugs, as well as foetal alcohol syndrome, and those who have withdrawal symptoms from their mother’s use of drugs during pregnancy.
Every other year from 2014 to 2023, there was between one and five newborns from Kerry diagnosed with such a condition.
The HSE says information on children born addicted or severely affected by alcohol is not easily available, partly due to a lack of appropriate testing.
