This report is based on the 2007 European Schools Project for Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) Survey carried out in Ireland.

The ESPAD survey takes place every 4 years in more than 35 European countries during the same time period and is based on a common set of questions and methodology. This series of studies began in 1995 following an initiative by the Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (CAN) to connect with researchers in other European countries, including Ireland, with a view to conducting a common survey on the usage of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs in the school-going population.

The most important goal of the ESPAD survey is to monitor trends in alcohol and other drug use among 15-16 year-olds and to compare trends between countries and groups of countries. This information is essential in planning future prevention initiatives. The rationale for school surveys is that students make up the age groups when onset of use is most likely to occur. While school-going populations are relatively accessible, it should be noted that young people who have left school may differ in important respects from those who complete the senior cycle.