This brief comment on Anderson and Baumberg's (2006) review of alcohol in Europe looks at this report from an Irish perspective, with a view to assessing its impact on the alcohol policy debate which has been a feature of Irish society over the past decade. It is argued that the review's empirical data and their accompanying policy recommendations are already broadly familiar to Irish stakeholders in the alcohol policy process, but that the provenance of this report---which has been prepared for the European Commission - creates further potential to tip the balance of Irish alcohol policy in the public health direction espoused by its authors.