Survey highlights teen drinking

A survey by the Garda Research Unit has found half of 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds in certain parts of the country get drunk at least once a month.

Reports today said the survey found girls were more likely to get drunk than boys, while one-third of fifth-year students questioned admitted to taking drugs at some stage in their lives.

The survey was carried out among 3,000 second-year and fifth-year students at 31 schools in the Kerry and Waterford/Kilkenny divisions.