Alcohol still Ireland's biggest drug problem – Alcohol Action Ireland 

The prevalence of alcohol use disorder in the general population was found to be 14.8%, which corresponds to one in every seven, or 578,000 adults in Ireland.

The biggest drug problem Ireland is currently battling is alcohol, according to harm reduction advocates.

The message comes from Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, following the publication of the 2019-20 Irish National Drug and Alcohol Survey by the Health Research Board.

The report found 74.2% of respondents reported having consumed alcohol in the last 12 months, which corresponds to 2,904,000 of the general population in Ireland aged 15 years and older.

Two-fifths (39.9%) of drinkers engaged in heavy episodic drinking (HED) at least once a month.

Alcohol use disorder

The prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the general population was found to be 14.8%, which corresponds to one in every seven, or 578,000 adults in Ireland.

The highest prevalence of alcohol use disorder was observed among female drinkers aged 15-24 years while young males were most likely to have hazardous or harmful drinking patterns. Among male drinkers aged 15–24 years, 63.1% engaged in monthly HED.

Commenting on the report’s main findings on alcohol, Eunan McKinney, head of communications, said it highlights the enormous difficulties Ireland faces as a society with alcohol use.

"The findings show an alarming prevalence of alcohol use disorders amongst our youngest drinkers – 18-24 years – with 37.5% reporting maladaptive patterns of alcohol use,” Mr McKinney said.

Young males were most likely to have hazardous or harmful drinking patterns, report found

“Too often a new generation hear the voice of alcohol business proclaiming the curiosities of drinking but never any reflection on the harms caused or the significant loss of creativity, enterprise or productivity to our society that is self-evident in these figures. Ireland’s hyper and harmful relationship with alcohol continues to act as a hand-break to realising our true promise,” he added.

Dr Sheila Gilheany, chief executive of Alcohol Action Ireland, echoed Mr McKinney's message.

“This latest analysis of the prevalence of alcohol use disorder demonstrates the chronic shortage that exists within our alcohol treatment services, which are current incapable of meeting the demand for timely interventions to help those who are victims of Ireland’s most common drug,” she said.