Irish bishops condemn Irish society's abuse of alcohol

A pastoral letter from the Irish Bishops has claimed that the use of alcohol in our society is nothing short of a national tragedy.

Bishop Eamonn Walsh, the vice-chairman of the bishops alcohol and drugs initiative said that Irish people have a destructive relationship with alcohol

He quoted international research on drink, which shows us topping the leagues tables which measure the level of binge drinking among people under 20 and alcohol consumption for those aged 15 and over.

Bishop Walsh suggested that people reduce consumption of alcohol by a third and assess the difference this makes after three months.

He also said he wants to see discussion about attitudes to and use of alcohol and debate among those responsible for public policy.