Irish adults are the third largest consumers of alcohol in the European Union, a HSE report into alcohol consumption trends has revealed.
The report, which looks at patterns of alcohol consumption in Ireland over the twenty year period from 1986 and 2006, shows that Irish drinkers consume more alcohol per head than their counterparts in both Germany and the UK.
Coming third behind Hungary and Luxembourg, Irish drinkers consumed 13.4 litres of pure alcohol per head in 2006.
Dr Joe Barry of the HSE
The report, which was published today, also showed a surge in wine and cider sales in the last twenty years, with wine sales increasing sharply by 418 per cent and cider sales going up by 521 per cent.
But beer remains the most popular drink in Ireland with sales increasing by 10.5 per cent in the 20-year period. Spirit sales also went up 21.4 per cent.
The HSE said, however, the findings showed that the rate of alcohol consumption in Ireland has been static since 2003 due to the introduction of increased excise duty on sales. Alcohol consumption peaked in 2001 at 14.3 litres per adult but dropped to 13.4 litres per head in 2006.
"The findings show that a raise in excise duty remains an effective measure to reduce alcohol related harm in this country", Dr Joe Barry of the HSE said.
"To this end the Health Service Executive has recommended a 10 per cent rise in excise duty on alcohol in the forthcoming budget," he added.
"Alcohol related health and social harm are still having major impacts on Irish society and the aim of the Strategic Taskforce on Alcohol, of reducing our alcohol consumption to the European Union average, has still not been realised.
The EU average for consumption of alcohol is 10.2 litres per adult.
"Results of recent reports from the Health Research Board and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development point to the need for a reduction in our alcohol consumption level", Dr Barry added.
Sales figures supplied by the Revenue Commissioners and Central Statistics Office population figures were used to compile the report data.