Things have changed dramatically in the last few years.
Back in 2000, Ireland was top of the EU board for the heaviest drinking nation of the 27 countries measured, but figures from a 2014 European Commission have just revealed that Ireland is not just above average.
A massive drop of 23.6% in those 14 years have placed Ireland 12th, dropping to an average of 10.6 litres of pure alcohol consumer per person.
While this places Ireland behind the likes of Poland, France and Germany, the goal of the recent Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is to get this number even lower, to 9.1 litres per person, making Ireland one of the lowest alcohol consumers in the EU.
This figure is still much higher than the global average of just 6 litres per person, and it has been noted that the consumption of alcohol has risen almost 5% in 2016 alone, with many believing that the upturn in the Irish economy leading to more expendable income, which in turn leads to an increase in alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Action Ireland spokesperson Eunan McKinney told The Sunday Times: “We drink twice as much as global norms, and that, mixed with a cultural normalisation that disregards its impact, has fuelled our national crisis with alcohol. If Ireland were to follow the low-risk guidelines on alcohol consumption, 11 standard drinks for women and 17 for men, our target would be seven litres.”
