Media

Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, notes the announcements of Budget 2023 by Ministers Donohoe and McGrath and welcome that government has not acquiesced to the pressure from alcohol producers to reduce excise duties on alcohol products, which would have enhanced affordability of alcohol. We regret that the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, did not take note of our advice on establishing a CPI link to all alcohol excise duties or a much-needed alcohol harm... Full Story

Stigmatising language such as ‘user’, ‘addict’ and ‘alcoholic’ are outdated and damaging and should no longer be used to describe people who have problems with alcohol and other substances.  To mark International Recovery Month, Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, is today (22 Sept) launching a guide to help media and the public use more compassionate language, and to understand the impact certain words can have on people.  Research has demonstrated that, whether we are aware... Full Story

Alcohol Action Ireland, the independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, has today (Thursday 8th September) published the findings of an opinion poll, conducted by Ireland Thinks, exploring public support for on-product alcohol labelling interventions. 72% believe consumers have a right to be informed on the product, and in advertising, of the health risk from alcohol use; only 11% oppose such a move. 62% believe alcohol products must display health warnings that clearly identifies the risk to pregnancy, of liver disease... Full Story

Alcohol Market Review 2022 Raising the bar: time to reassess the inflated reputation of the alcohol industry   Alcohol Action Ireland, the independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, has today (Thursday 1st September) published its 2022 Alcohol Market Review. The Review highlights the market revenues - €5.555bn in 2021, demonstrating who benefits and how, only a handful of companies are monopolising the Off-Trade receipts of €2.505bn. Ireland’s alcohol industry – producers, merchants and retailers, spent an estimated €116m last year advertising alcohol... Full Story

Alcohol Action Ireland, the independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, has today (Thursday 28th July) published its Pre-Budget submission in which it advises the Minister for Finance not to further enhance the affordability of alcohol by reducing excise taxes. Central to its submission, Alcohol Action, advises the Minister on two specific matters: The retention of existing excise duties on alcohol products and introduce a Consumer Price/Inflation Index to alcohol excise rates from 2023. The introduction of Alcohol Harm levies on... Full Story

Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, note the publication of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual & Gender-Based Violence 2022-2026, and welcome the recognition of children as victims in their own right.  Bearing witness to domestic abuse is an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that can cause problems into adulthood and children must be supported when it occurs in their family.  AAI looks forward to progressing an Operation Encompass style system of support (Implementation Plan,... Full Story

Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, today (Wednesday, 22 June) welcomes the Irish government’s notification of Draft Regulations under Section 12 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 to the European Commission.   The draft Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2022, as published by the Minister for Health, will enable the commencement of labelling of alcohol products and notices in licensed premises.   These will ensure that no alcohol product can be sold without bearing... Full Story

Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, will today (Thursday 16th June) mark Men’s Health Week 2022 by encouraging men to take up the challenge of the week that mission is possible and the action starts with you. In Ireland, most of the messages men get about alcohol emphasise a positive picture – relaxing and having fun with friends. But too often we don’t talk often about the negatives, but the risks are real. The more... Full Story

Accessing timely, effective treatment for problem alcohol use is crucial for recovery, but very many barriers to accessing treatment too often stand in the way of getting help. Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, will today (Wednesday 8th June) convene a panel of experts to discuss accessing alcohol treatment in Ireland with contributions from those with lived experience and service providers. Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO Alcohol Action Ireland noted that: “The drinking patterns of 14.8% of the population... Full Story

Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, welcomes a new report from the World Health Organization: Reducing the harm from alcohol – by regulating cross-border alcohol marketing, advertising and promotion: a technical report.   The report highlights the increasing use of sophisticated online marketing techniques by alcohol producers and the need for more effective regulation to be an integral part of public health strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. It shows that young people... Full Story