Alcohol Action Ireland outlines local and European impact of alcohol abuse Local and European election candidates across Ireland are being asked to ‘put public health before private wealth’ and commit to progressive evidence-based policies when it comes to alcohol and the alcohol industry. Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) has launched its Election Candidates’ Pledge, calling on all election hopefuls to: “The importance of having MEPs in Brussels who represent public interest before vested interests cannot be overstated, said AAI CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany. “The World Health Organisation estimate that around 800 people die in Europe every day from alcohol-attributable causes and one in four deaths among young adults is caused by alcohol use, yet the industry seems to have unfettered access to policy makers to continue denying the evidence regarding the harms their products cause and to stymie progressive health-led policies which could save thousands of lives every year – it is literally a fatal combination.
” AAI argues that, locally, alcohol has a significant impact on services such as hospitals and gardai and places a huge burden on public finances. It is estimated that 11 per cent of the healthcare budget is being used for alcohol-related illnesses and injuries, with 1,500 hospital beds in use every day in relation to alcohol. The OECD estimates that the cost associated with harms from alcohol in Ireland equate to approximately €9.
6bn-€12bn annually. Dr Gilheany c.
