A necessary task to tackle - Irish drinking culture

WHEN it comes to defining the national psyche, the consumption of alcohol dominates. In our literature, our music, and even our visual arts, the ‘pint of plain’ is a constant backdrop.

While we may rail against the depiction in movies and TV of the Irish as a nation of heavy drinkers, there is no doubt that, compared to most other developed countries, we imbibe more than most.

It is little wonder, then, that alcohol claims in the region of 90 deaths per month in Ireland — around 1,000 a year.