Youth Drinking in Ireland: What’s the Real Picture?

While drinking among Irish young people declined from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s, since 2015, that downward trend has reversed - with consumption by 15-24 year olds increasing from 66% in 2018 to 75% in 2024.  What is also clear is that when drinking is initiated, it is accompanied by high levels of particularly risky and hazardous consumption - 64% regularly binge drink, and one in three young drinkers has an Alcohol Use Disorder.  This report by Alcohol Action Ireland outlines the current situation.  See: https://alcoholireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Youth-Drinking-in-Ireland-FINAL.pdf