The number of students in the Republic who have been drunk during the last 12 months is substantially higher than the EU average, a conference on alcohol will be told today.
Dr Bruce Ritson of the Alcohol Problem Service at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital will deliver the keynote address at the Alcohol in Young People Conference organised by the Irish College of General Practitioners.
The Republic, along with Denmark and Britain, continues to be among the countries with the highest 30-day prevalence of alcohol use.
According to Dr Ritson this trend of high alcohol intake rose significantly between 1995 and 1999, particularly among girls.
Beer is still the most popular drink but spirit consumption is higher in the Republic than many other countries.
"There is clear evidence that the alcohol industry has two target groups: starter groups aged 11-15 and established drinkers aged 16-24. Both of these markets are large enough to provide the industry with a sustainable return on investment," he is due to tell delegates.
The fact that Ireland is placed at the top of the international league of binge drinkers, despite being in the middle of the general alcohol consumption league concerns Dr Ritson.
"It is the trend that is disturbing and particularly so among young people where drinking is starting at an earlier age, intoxication is becoming commoner and the gender gap is narrowing."
He will suggest a number of measures to help the situation including attempts to reduce the number of young people who start to consume alcohol and action against the illegal sale of alcohol.
Dr Rolande Anderson, Alcohol Project Director with the ICGP will tell delegates that "attitudes to alcohol use and abuse must change urgently in this country or there will be an epidemic of people seeking help for alcohol dependence in the next 10-20 years".
Dr John Cuddihy, a Kilkenny GP, will take delegates through an actual consultation with a younger person.
Of particular interest will be the concept of the "Adolescent Friendly Surgery".
"GP's should be constantly aware of the possibility of another agenda in a consultation, which is that of an alcohol/drug problem."
Dr Steve Rollnick, an expert in "motivational interviewing", will tell family doctors that a key aspect for GPs is to "come alongside the teenager in consultations and engage them in different ways".