ALCOHOL RELATED HARM
Alcohol related harm affects the whole of society. It is not merely confined to the heavy drinker. Alcohol harm can be seen in our hospitals, on our streets, in our courts and in our families. Alcohol related harm was estimated to have cost the economy €2.65 billion in 2003 (2.6% of GNP), a 12% increase on previous estimates.
Facts
- One in four attending the hospital emergency room are presenting with alcohol related problems.
- 20% of patients who took their own lives had a history of problem alcohol use according to GPs and 27% of patients who took their own lives had a history of alcohol misuse according to psychiatrists.
- Public order offences have increased by 247% since 1996 and assaults have increased by 82%. This has been linked to an increase in alcohol consumption.
- In 36.5% of all fatal crashes in 2003, alcohol was a factor.
- In 38% of fatal pedestrian road crashes in 2003, pedestrian alcohol was a factor.
- Men binge drink every 58 drinking occasions out of 100 and women binge drink every 30 drinking occasions out of 100.
- 39% of male drinkers and 24% of female drinkers experienced at least 1 of the 8 adverse consequences of alcohol during the last 12 months. The European average is 4.5% for male drinkers and 0.5% for female drinkers.
- In 2005, 83% of 14-17 year olds drank alcohol and the average age of starting to drink was 12 years.
- Almost one third of 15-16-year-old students had binged three or more times in the previous 30 days.
- Underage Irish girls have the highest binge drinking rate in Europe.
- Since 1996, there has been a 390% increase in intoxication in public places by underage drinkers.
GOVERNMENT INACTION
Strategic Task Force on Alcohol
Although the Government established a high-level Strategic Task Force on Alcohol which reported in 2004, most of its recommendations were ignored or subject to delays. Youth Work Ireland's evaluation of the Government's progress on the implementation of the 2004 recommendations declared it "Possibly the WORST Policy in the World." According to the 2006 Joint Committee on Health & Children Subcommittee on the 'High Level of Suicide in Irish Society' report, "our failure to implement the Report of the National Strategic Task Force on Alcohol has a serious negative impact on suicide prevention." The Government's tardiness in implementing these recommendations and its support of the views of the drinks industry over the views of experts in the field and young people's organisations, shows that it has no commitment to tackle this subject.
GREEN PARTY PROPOSALS
The Green Party will implement the recommendations of Strategic Task Force on Alcohol. As a matter of urgency, the Green Party will focus on the policies outlined below.
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