“In this seven-year period, 51,205 cases were treated for alcohol as a main problem.

• The number of cases treated decreased from 7,546 in 2019 to 5,824 in 2020, a drop of 22.8%.
• The proportion of new cases decreased from 48.6% in 2014 to 42.8% in 2020.

Level of problem alcohol use

• In 2020, the median age at which cases first started drinking alcohol was 16 years.
• Over the period, almost two-in-every-three (66.1%) cases were classified as alcohol dependent.
• In 2020, 57.2% of new cases were classified as alcohol dependent as compared to 53.2% in 2014.
• The proportion of previously treated cases classified as alcohol dependent increased from 66.6% in 2014 to 72.1% in 2020.”

Find more from Health Research Board (Ireland, July 2021)