On average there are more than 1,000 drink drivers on Irish roads every day, with the vast majority going undetected - drink drivers have a mere 1.3% chance of being caught at a checkpoint in Ireland.
This must change.
* need for breath test target equal to every licensed driver tested once a year
* updating of laws regarding the collection of blood samples from suspected drink drivers
* impounding of vehicles for a failed breath test
* the introduction of the alcohol ignition interlock system for offenders
AAI's latest report, Alcohol and road safety, points the way for government to reduce the carnage on our roads. The report, with foreword from Donna Price, Irish Road Victims Associations, puts forward a series of recommendations including:
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Ireland's decision to 'partner' with Diageo for its St Patrick's Day reception in Brussels is raising eyebrows not only in Ireland but also across Europe after government allowed the alcohol lobby to 'score a recent win' against health labels on alcohol products.
www.politico.eu/newsletter/p...
If Government really wants to reduce binge drinking & achieve a level of alcohol reduction that will improve public health, reduce injuries & deaths, and save the health system and taxpayer money, then all sections of the PHAA must be made operational & any loopholes closed as a matter of urgency
At the same time, Minimum Unit Pricing, which sets the lowest price an alcoholic drink can be legally sold at, has not been increased. Its current value was first proposed in 2013 and has not changed since its implementation in 2022 so its public health benefit is being eroded by inflation.
However, seven years after being signed into law, not all measures of the PHAA are operational. Furthermore, important regulations are being undermined by the loophole of advertising of zero-alcohol products.
There are proven policies available to reduce binge drinking especially around affordability, availability & advertising of alcohol. Ireland’s Public Health (Alcohol) Act incorporates these measures along with other measures such as labelling, designed to work in tandem to reduce overall consumption
While its acute effects such as road crashes, violence and poisoning are widely understood, the enduring effects of binge drinking such as dementia, alcohol dependence and chronic disease in later life are largely overlooked.
Movendi International is launching a new wide-ranging report on binge drinking, its acute consequences and lasting impacts tomorrow. The report outlines how binge drinking is the fundamental building block of most alcohol-related harm.
alcoholireland.ie/press-releas...
Alcohol & zero-alcohol branding is everywhere in sport. When children are exposed to alcohol through sports they love it doesn’t just build brand recognition, it links alcohol with achievement, teamwork & identity. That influence is subtle but it brings a multitude of harms that can last a lifetime.
The latest video from @theguardian.com series 'It's Complicated' looks at how alcohol companies use zero-alcohol advertising - particularly at major sports events - to maintain high brand visibility even in jurisdictions with advertising restrictions such as Ireland
www.youtube.com/shorts/Nzg7r...
AAI's report 'Digital and social media marketing of alcohol' is available here:
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Comprehensive, agile & proactive monitoring & compliance systems, which could be funded by levies on advertisers & the platforms on which the ads appear, are required, with @cnam-ie.bsky.social taking a proactive approach to monitoring the activities commercial communications in the online space.
Social media and video sharing platforms should be compelled to provide the relevant data on marketing, spending, and demographics reached and there needs to be a ban of algorithmic targeting, tracking, profiling, monitoring or targeting of children and teenagers.
Children are constantly exposed to alcohol online with Australian research showing that young people may see more than 20 alcohol ads per hour on social media. A coherent approach to digital & social media marketing to children is needed with clearly defined goals to protect children online
New report by Safefood shows that children see unhealthy food marketing every four minutes online which can impact their health, with most parents underestimating the scale & type of digital food marketing their children encounter. www.safefood.net/communicatio...
See AAI's report, 'Digital and social media marketing of alcohol' here: alcoholireland.ie/wp-content/u...
It is essential that government, through strong regulation and enforcement, as well as fostering awareness and advocating for responsible media consumption practices, strives to protect young people as they navigate the online world.
Policy makers, legislators and protectors of children’s rights are already way behind industry tactics designed to ensure young people drink as soon as possible and as often as possible.
The widespread adoption of digital technologies & online social networks has revolutionised the way marketers engage with consumers which has brought new ever evolving issues in relation to child protection in the online space, including the marketing of harmful products such as alcohol to children
New research shows that watching influencers drink alcohol in social media posts increases young people’s desire to drink. The study found that participants who perceived influencers as highly credible had dramatically greater odds of wanting to drink. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
MUP increases the price of only the cheapest & strongest alcohol which is responsible for most harms. By targeting the sort of consumption that causes significant health, social & economic problems – which is paid for by the state – it saves taxpayer money. More importantly, MUP also saves lives.
MUP was introduced in Scotland in 2018. In 2024 there was a 7% decrease in alcohol-specific deaths compared to 2023 - the lowest annual total since 2019. An evaluation of MUP by Public Health Scotland concluded that MUP had a positive impact on health outcomes, particularly in deprived areas
The letter from the Alcohol Health Alliance UK to the leaders of the Executive points out that Northern Ireland's alcohol deaths have overtaken Scotland's. Twenty years ago Northern Ireland's death rates were half those of Scotland.
With the number of deaths caused by alcohol in Northern Ireland rising by 81% between 2014-2024, over 60 health bodies & charities have collectively written to Michelle O'Neill & Emma Little-Pengelly to urge Northern Ireland to introduce minimum unit pricing ⬇️
www.newsletter.co.uk/health/oneil...
alcohol health information label
February is oesophageal cancer awareness month. Alcohol causes at least 7 types of cancer including oesophageal cancer. Alcohol health information labels are crucial to efforts to reduce incidences of cancer in Ireland. There can be no further delay to labelling.
AAI's latest report looks at the impact alcohol advertising around sports events has on youth drinking in Ireland. If we believe sport is for participation, health & youth development, then alcohol sponsorship has no place on the pitch, the jersey, or the screen. alcoholireland.ie/wp-content/u...
Celebrity actors, musicians & athletes are promoting their own alcohol products on Instagram without clear disclosure of advertising content & almost all posts are visible to underage users, raising concerns about youth exposure to harmful alcohol marketing online
www.latrobe.edu.au/news/article...
Daily Feed Calendar 2026
Have you ever felt ‘bombarded’ with junk food & alcohol messaging? Trinity Business School have created a calendar to show what that means - despite 25 years of healthy eating policies Ireland does not have a healthy food & alcohol environment
@tcddublin.bsky.social
Visit www.tcd.ie/media/tcd/he...
