Ireland’s young people are the biggest binge drinkers in the EU

New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicate Ireland's young people are the biggest binge drinkers in the European Union.

According to the statistics, 26.8 per cent of Irish men and 15 per cent of women, aged between 18 and 24, engaged in binge drinking at least once a week in 2014 – well above the European average.

Binge-drinking is defined as consuming six or more drinks at a time, “equivalent to three pints of beer or six pub measures of spirits”.

Mediterranean and Eastern European countries were found to have the lowest rates of binge drinking, and the issue is more prevalent in men that women across the continent.

The report also showed just under a quarter of Irish males (aged 15 and over), and a fifth of females were regular smokers.

Speaking about the figures, Dr Bobby Smyth, of Alcohol Action Ireland, said: “Binge-drinking is normalised in Ireland, and we have to stop this with policy to help improve the health of our future children.”

“The State needs to put the health of children and the young ahead of profits for the drink industry, and this is a public health matter.”