Study Finds That There Are 150,000 Alcoholics In Ireland

A new study, conducted by the Health Research Board, has found that there are large amounts of Irish people drinking harmfully. According to the Irish Times, 150,000 Irish people are considered "dependent drinkers" and 1.35 million are harmful drinkers, more than half of those surveyed. The information has been recorded in the first National Alcohol Diary Survey where 6,000 people aged between 18 and 75 were asked to document their alcohol consumption. Other findings from the survey included the fact that 75% of alcohol consumed was part of a binge-drinking session while one in five drinkers say they engage in binge-drinking weekly. The study also discovered that one in eight men and one in ten women consume their weekly guideline amount of alcohol in just one sitting. Apparently, as a nation we spend about €50 million a week on alcohol, although it may be a lower figure than this. On top of that, the HSE found that we often underestimate how much we drink. Dr Graham Love, chief executive of the board, said: "The amount we drink and the way we drink determine alcohol-related harm. We are still consuming alcohol far above the HSE recommended low-risk levels. But what this report really shines a light on is the pattern of harmful drinking which raises serious concerns for public health.”