Alcohol ’embedded’ in Ireland’s national identity

Alcohol has become “embedded” in Ireland’s national identity, a government-funded report into the Republic of Ireland’s drinking culture has concluded.

A new study by the HRB says alcohol has become “embedded” in Ireland’s national identity

The study by the Health Research Board (HRB) – funded by the Irish Department of Health – surveyed nearly 6,000 people aged between 18 and 75 who were asked to keep alcohol diaries recording their consumption.

“Ireland has a complex relationship with alcohol,” commented Graham Love, chief executive of HRB. “Its use has become embedded in our national identity and it is often associated with significant cultural and religious events.”

Out of those questioned, 37% admitted to consuming six or more drinks in a single drinking session, known as binge drinking.

Binge drinking was found to be most common among drinkers aged between 18 and 24, while 63.9% of men and 51.4% of women said they started binge drinking before turning 18, the legal drinking age in Ireland.

In addition, the results revealed 54% of participants who drank would be classed as harmful drinkers using a World Health Organisation measurement known as the AUDIT-C screening tool.

Meanwhile, just 20.6% of those surveyed said they had abstained from consuming alcohol in the previous 12 months.

“As a nation, it is clear that we need to recognise, accept and tackle the negative consequences that can arise from our use of alcohol,” Love added.

According to Love, the estimated combined cost of tackling alcohol-related crime and health problems is €2.39 billion and €527 million in lost economic output.

ABFI response

The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) welcomed the study as a chance for “meaningful engagement” on the subject of binge drinking.

In response, it highlighted other consumption findings from DCU Economist Tony Foley from March 2014, sourced from the CSO Population and Migration Estimates and the Revenue Commissioners’ alcohol clearance data, that showed alcohol consumption levels in Ireland are now 25% lower than in 2001, and that average consumption fell by 7.6% between 2012 and 2013.

The body called on the Government to address the issue by focusing on sale of below cost alcohol, introducing a statutory ban on price-based advertising and codes to regulate the merchandising of alcohol.

Thomas Burke, senior executive at ABFI, said: “While overall consumption is falling, binge drinking is still problematic in our society.

“We need to look at ways of addressing this issue in a way that affects long term societal change. This requires a whole of society response.

“The drinks industry remains committed to tackling the issue of alcohol misuse in conjunction with Government and other stakeholders such as the HRB.”