Background

The Healthy Ireland Survey is an annual survey designed to increase knowledge of the population’s health and health behaviours.1 It is commissioned by the Department of Health, carried out by Ipsos B&A, and conducted with a representative sample of the general population aged 15 years and over. For the 2024 Survey, telephone interviews took place between October 2023 and April 2024 with 7,398 respondents. Questions about alcohol use are routinely asked in each wave of the survey. In addition to these questions, the survey explores general health, tobacco use, mental health, use of general practitioner (GP) and other health services, COVID-19 and long COVID, physical activity, weight management, caring responsibilities, and sleep.

Main findings on alcohol

Alcohol use

Seventy-three per cent of the population (75% of males and 71% of females) aged 15 years and over reported consuming alcohol in the previous 12 months. This finding represents an increase since the 2023 survey, which found that 70% of the population (73% of males and 67% of females) had consumed alcohol in the previous 12 months.1,2 However, the 2024 findings remain lower than those in the 2018 Healthy Ireland Survey. That survey marked the last time alcohol use was measured by previous 12 months, and the 2018 findings showed that 75% of the population (78% of males and 72% of females) had consumed alcohol in the previous 12 months.3 In 2024, those aged 24–35 years (78%) were more likely to report consuming alcohol in the previous 12 months; of this cohort, 82% were male (Figure 1).

Drinking frequency

Drinking at least once a week was reported by 38% of respondents, representing no change since the 2023 Healthy Ireland Survey and remaining less than that reported in 2018 (41%). In 2024, drinking at least once a week was more common among those aged 55–64 years (48%). More than 2 in every 10 drinkers in Ireland drink multiple times per week and this was most commonly reported among those aged 55–64 years (31%). When examined by sex, drinking multiple times per week was most commonly reported by females aged 55–64 years (27%) and by males aged 45–54 years (36%).

Heavy episodic drinking

Over one-quarter (28%) of the population reported heavy episodic drinking (HED) or binge drinking on a typical drinking occasion – defined as drinking six standard drinks or more in one sitting – higher than that reported in 2023 (24%) and in 2018 (27%). There was a substantial gender difference in binge drinking prevalence: males (42%) were more likely to report binge drinking compared with females (12%) and this applies to all age groups (Figure 2).

Figure 1: Percentage of respondents who consumed alcohol in the previous 12 months, by sex and age

Figure 2: Percentage of respondents who reported binge drinking on a typical drinking occasion, by sex and age

Conclusion

Alcohol use remains high among the population and an increase is noted when compared with the 2023 survey findings. Of concern also is the increase in prevalence of binge drinking, especially among males aged 45–54 years, where binge drinking has increased from 36% in 2023 to 45% in 2024. Comparisons with surveys carried out prior to 2021 should be interpreted with caution due to the move from face-to-face interviews to telephone interviews, which may have some impact on responses.

The Healthy Ireland Survey is a hugely valuable instrument in Ireland for measuring alcohol use and examining trends over time. The HRB Alcohol Statistics Dashboard is updated with the alcohol findings when they are published.4

1    Ipsos B&A (2024) Healthy Ireland survey 2024 – Summary Report. Dublin: Healthy Ireland, Department of Health. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/42364/

2    Ipsos B&A (2023) Healthy Ireland survey 2023 – Summary Report. Dublin: Healthy Ireland, Department of Health. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/39977/

3    Ipsos MRBI (2018) Healthy Ireland Survey 2018: Summary of Findings. Dublin: Government Publications. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/29851/

4    Doyle A (2024) Alcohol Statistics Dashboard. Dublin: Health Research Board. Available from:
https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/alcohol_statistics_dashboard (accessed 10 Sep 2024).