Alcohol Action Ireland press release, Monday 10 November 2025
Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, is proud to announce the launch of End the Silence 2025 – a series of three events that take place on Tuesday 11 November, Wednesday 12 November and Saturday 15 November. End the Silence forms part of Alcohol Action Ireland’s initiative Silent Voices, which seeks to raise awareness of the issues arising from growing up with alcohol harm in the home and put forward policy solutions to address these issues.
In Ireland, we know that at least one in six children live every day with parental problem alcohol use which can have impacts that last a lifetime and in many incidences alcohol use is the catalyst to significant domestic disruption and abuse. The three webinars that comprise End the Silence 2025 – The Power of Early Intervention (Tues 11 Nov, 11am), Ending the Omerta (Weds 12 Nov, 11am, held in conjunction with the Western Drug and Alcohol Task Force), and Breaking Free from Survival (Sat 15 Nov, 11am) – will explore different but interlinked aspects of this experience.
AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany said: “The impact of problem alcohol use on the family is extensive. Growing up in a home where there is parental problem alcohol use (PPAU) has been recognised internationally as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) for over 25 years, and there are often long-lasting psychological impacts and distresses that can carry into adulthood and last a lifetime.
“The consistent link between alcohol and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) has led to the recognition of alcohol as a risk factor for intimate partner violence by the World Health Organisation (WHO). There are estimates of alcohol being a factor in up to 70% of domestic violence incidences in Ireland and it is vital that children and young people who witness or experience domestic abuse are supported early to navigate the chaos that these experiences bring to their lives.
“End the Silence 2025 will highlight some of the challenges faced by children who grow up with parental alcohol problems, and what can be done to support them.”
Chaired by Silent Voices patron Ailbhe Smyth, the first webinar in the series, The Power of Early Intervention (Tues 11 Nov, 11am), features David and Elisabeth Carney-Haworth, founders and UK leads for Operation Encompass, who will talk about their experiences with the information-sharing initiative between police and schools – when police have attended a domestic violence incident where children have been present – enabling schools and teachers to offer immediate intervention and support for children and young people.
AAI has warmly welcomed the recent announcement from Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan that legislation to provide the statutory footing allowing An Garda Síochána to operate a similar initiative is being drafted. Others to speak include Detective Superintendent Kerry Brennan of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), where Operation Encompass was rolled out across all 1,162 schools in Northern Ireland in May 2023, with more than 23,000 referrals being made in the first 12 months. An important element for children is that schools should be trauma informed and in this context there will also be contributions from children’s charity Barnardos and from academics who have conducted research in the area of early intervention.
The other webinars in End the Silence are Breaking Free from Survival (Sat 15 Nov, 11am) – where qualified trauma-informed mindbody practitioner and adult child of an alcoholic (ACOA) Corey Casey (coreycasey.com) will use her own personal and professional experience to highlight why so many ACOAs feel like they can’t move forward with their lives, and how they often feel caught between two worlds: the adult reality and the inner child reality – and Ending the Omerta (Weds 12 Nov, 11am).
Organised in conjunction with the Western Drug and Alcohol Task Force, Ending the Omerta will see AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany explore national and international research in the area of alcohol and domestic violence from a recent series of reports from AAI and illustrated by the lived experience of contributors to AAI’s Shared Voices platform. The talk will also highlight key policy actions and ask why the current national strategy on DSGBV, Zero Tolerance, has zero mention of alcohol.
Dr Gilheany continued: “Every child has the right to grow up in a home where they are taken care of and where they are treated with dignity and respect. It is imperative, therefore, that the impact of domestic abuse, and indeed alcohol harm in the home, is addressed by the State and it is vitally important that children and young people who are experiencing domestic violence are supported.
“Unfortunately, Ireland’s current Zero Tolerance strategy to tackle DSGBV does not reference alcohol at all, so one of the biggest risk factors for DSGBV is not currently being considered when it comes to prevention or services. Meanwhile there is significant pressure from the alcohol industry to extend licensing hours, which will inevitably lead to increased levels of domestic violence.
“A new national strategy to tackle DSGBV is due next year and the Programme for Government states that alcohol licensing laws are set to be updated – both of which fall within the remit of the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan. It is of note that the national government in Australia in 2024 agreed to review all alcohol legislation with a view towards reducing family violence, so there is a real opportunity now for Ireland to follow Australia’s lead and review all alcohol legislation with a view towards reducing domestic violence.
“Minister O’Callaghan has already done great work by securing government approval for the drafting of legislation for Operation Encompass, but this is obviously just a first step. For far too long the alcohol industry has been given a free pass in relation to alcohol’s role in domestic violence. Alcohol must be included in the next Zero Tolerance strategy to tackle DSGBV.”
Silent Voices patron Ailbhe Smyth said: “Problem alcohol use in the home can deeply disrupt families and frequently there can be compounding issues such as domestic abuse, which can have a hugely damaging impact on children who witness or experience it. The fear and powerlessness children feel in such circumstances can leave mental scars that last a lifetime and often when a child has mental health needs they are manifesting some trauma in the family. As a society we are in denial about the harm alcohol causes to children. It is imperative that we start to take this issue more seriously and to realise the impact that problem alcohol use in the home has on children and start looking more closely at what can be done to support them.”
ENDS
More details about End the Silence 2025 and how to book your free spot available here
More info about Operation Encompass available here
