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JUST OVER FOUR in ten parents ‘binge drink’ at least once a month – with the majority of those drinking most often at home, according to a new survey.
The figures suggest that 42 per cent of parents consume five or more drinks in one sitting – the definition of a binge – once a month or more. Of those, 67 per cent said they drink most frequently in the home.
Meanwhile 86 per cent of under-18s interviewed said they drink alcohol, and one in five admit that drinking has affected their school or working lives. Underage male drinkers say they consume an average of 10 drinks on a normal night out.
The survey of 800 parents, young adults and minors was carried out by RTÉ’s Prime Time as part of a special report on alcohol to be broadcast tomorrow evening.
It also found that young adults consume an average of nine drinks on a “normal” night out, with 44 per cent drinking at least once a week.
One doctor at St James’s Hospital in Dublin told reporters that alcohol-related acute pancreatitis – which can be fatal – is now as common in the institution’s emergency department as appendicitis.
“There is a link between population consumption and alcohol related harm,” HSE public health specialist Professor Joe Barry told the programme. “We’re at the high end of Europe which is the highest in the world so we’re up there at the top of the world league.”
Drinkers are often unaware of the damage they are doing to themselves, according to another expert. Prof Aidan McCormick of the St Vincent’s Hospital Liver Unit said:
The people who come into us are very surprised that they are in a liver unit, they would not regard themselves as having an alcohol problem. They would typically say ‘I’ve never missed a day’s work.’
The Prime Time episode was commissioned to mark ten years since the landmark show Saturday Night Sunday Morning, which sparked a public debate about Ireland’s drinking culture.
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We’ve just exited a level 5 lockdown and people are being told by the government to…. “stay away from crowded shops”…. obviously shops will be thronged with people now after being cooped up for a month not being able to buy a shirt or a dress or god forbid….a tie…also deemed non essential when I went looking for one in Tesco. That statement is what my late grandfather would call….complete bolloxology.
@Billy Big Baws: And the first pop up I see on my device as I wake is from RTE about QUEUES forming outside shops this morning , and all this before 7 am.
Maybe I’m wrong but I think putting a senior civil servant out in front of the media and telling us how to behave is bizarre ,what qualifies her to pontificate to the Irish people, has she more qualifications than George Lee by any chance?
Christ..It will.be like the last helicopter out of Saigon when the shops open .
@Donal Desmond: Miss Saigon live from Mary Street !
I love how they chose a photo of Penneys for this article. You can guarantee they will have a queue from Mary St to the Spire tomorrow…
@Dobby Dooo Dooo: i am in the queue already
@Dobby Dooo Dooo: already a queue before 7 am .
@Terry Cahill: People going in for “essentials” and coming out with bags full of cr@p they don’t need…
How do people stay away from crowded shops, if they are already in a crowded shop :-/
@Kevin O’Brien: and if we all shopped off-peak…
Me alarm clock set, mask ready to go, hand sanitizer in me pocket, not taking the bus going to walk it. Penny’s here i come. NOT.
@Paul Gorry: as a penneys employee I think your in the minority….unfortunately. they should of sent us for zookeeper training during the lockdown.
Reading down through the articles here on the Journal & all I’m seeing is the word “avoid”. Avoid public transport, avoid crowded shops, avoid putting on special offers. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
The shops are now open to help the economy back on it’s feet and keep people in jobs.
Also don’t go to the shops.
Is this the same headline i read last March, without the Christmas bit?
@Paul Gorry: Reduce reuse recycle….
Consume! Consume! Consume! Retail shopping slaves to the system of controlling your life. Stress over getting stuff and overstretch those cards…… Sad really. I hope everyone eventually wakes up and stops the unnecessary stresses around this time of year. Remember all those toys that will be gathering dust in a month or 2 and all that food that goes to waste cost hours of your life to pay for. Right now off to ques outside Smyths…… Lol
People are already queueing so best of luck with that advice.
@Ed: Hope they’re doing what most people are doing and queuing 2 m apart, outdoors.
but the retailers say the complete opposite, pack in and everyone get out and shop till ye drop, who should we listen to. :-)
Stay away from crowded shops????its christmas time
Ya, but you see “Christmas” you cannot avoid these things. The air must be thin up there.
I will wait a few days and then stroll the shops at my own leisure. I got 95pct of my Christmas shopping done online and feel good about not being frantic this month. I did miss the in-person Black Friday sales this year, to be honest.
have your say