The annual report on the activities of Irish psychiatric services for the year 2002 presents data on all admissions to, and discharges from, psychiatric in-patient facilities in Ireland in 2002. This includes data for the number of admissions for alcohol and / or drug dependence. Rates reported are per 100,000 population aged 16 years and over. Data in the report are obtained from two main sources, the National Psychiatric In-Patient Reporting System (NPIRS) and the Department of Health and Children's annual end-of-year returns.