The wet house could help alcoholics controlled by their addiction

The proposals for the facility at St Julian's would cost more than �900,000, but could reduce the burden of the problem in years to come.

The facility is for people who could probably not beat their addiction.

Current annual police costs to control the issue of homeless alcoholics in the island are estimated at �40,000.

Many alcoholics sleep in public toilets or in the back streets of St Peter Port, where they feel they are out of the way of police patrols and members of the public.

But if the �900,000 proposals to covert St Julian's House are approved by politicians, the Health and Social Services Department claims the finished facility would run at a much lower cost of �15,000 per year.

Health Minister Deputy Peter Roffey says the wet house is a civilised response to deal with the problem of a hardcore of recidivist drinkers who are completely controlled by their addiction.