Ireland ranks third globally for FASD as report warns of hidden disability crisis
FASD is a range of neurodevelopmental conditions linked to alcohol consumption around conception and during pregnancy. Picture: iStock
Ireland has the third-highest rate of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in the world, a new report has found.
FASD is a range of neurodevelopmental conditions linked to alcohol consumption around conception and during pregnancy.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) says between 2.8% and 7.4% of the Irish population lives with the condition — up to ten times the global average.
Despite this high prevalence, researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences say the Irish health system “lacks diagnostic pathways and support.”
The report, authored by Angel Harper, PhD scholar at RCSI’s Centre for Positive Health Sciences, Professor Farhana Sharif, consultant paediatrician at Mullingar Regional Hospital, and Professor Jolanta Burke, associate professor at RCSI, also found that parents often face judgment from society, with stigma discouraging families from seeking help, obstructing diagnosis, and perpetuating misinformation about FASD.
Alcohol consumption by fathers before conception can also contribute to FASD, but 39% of survey respondents believed men’s drinking had no influence.
The research team says FASD is frequently misdiagnosed as autism or ADHD, leaving many without proper diagnosis or support.
People with FASD have an average life expectancy of 34 and face higher rates of suicide and substance abuse than the general population.
In their report, , published Tuesday, the researchers call for a national FASD clinic, better supports for families and carers, improved training for teachers, SNAs, health professionals, and targeted public awareness campaigns for both men and women about the risks of alcohol before and during pregnancy.
Professor Jolanta Burke, the project’s principal investigator, said the report highlights "a stark mismatch between the potentially high prevalence of FASD in Ireland and the absence of coordinated policy, standardised diagnostic pathways and targeted education for carers, teachers and healthcare professionals".
Prof Burke said it was "vital" for Ireland to "open its eyes to this issue, to educate people and to implement nationwide support systems for a community of people who have suffered in silence for long enough".
Tristan Casson-Rennie, CEO of FASD Ireland, which funded the research, said FASD has been “a hidden disability in Ireland" for too long.
"It’s present in every community, but too often it’s gone unnamed, misunderstood or ignored," he added.
"This report isn’t just about numbers; it puts shape on the real lives and challenges behind them. This report shows very clearly where people are falling through the cracks, and it gives us the solid evidence we need, as a country, to put that right."
