Irish Young People Are EU's Biggest Binge Drinkers
Young people in Ireland had the highest rate of binge drinking in the EU, new figures have revealed.
Binge drinking is considered to be the equivalent of "three pints of beer or six pub measures of spirts".
According to the CSO, 26.8% of men aged 18-24 engaged in binge drinking at least once a week in 2014 - more than double the EU average.
The figure was lower in women - 15.5% - but it was still the highest rate in the EU, and "well above the EU average of 4.3%".
The CSO figures also reveal that the lowest rates of binge drinking were in Mediterranean and Eastern European countries, while the issue was more prevalent among men than women across the continent.
Responding to the figures, the Alcohol Beverage Foundation here said: “The position of the drinks industry has always been to support the introduction of measures to tackle alcohol misuse and alcohol consumption by young people."
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