Opinion: Time to count the cost of a drunken night out OPINION

THURSDAY'S Prime Time has put alcohol misuse at the top of the agenda. As Budget time approaches and the talk is of cutbacks, the cost of dealing with the nation's hangover has shocked many people.

Half of all admissions to accident and emergency units after midnight on Saturdays are drink-related.

Doctors and nurses work at full stretch to deal with the aftermath of fights and alcohol poisoning.

Ambulances are on constant call-out to collect the wounded.

Gardai patrol the streets in an attempt to maintain the peace, disperse unruly crowds and deter potential trouble makers.

Sometimes the only option is to take someone into custody, for their own protection, or to prevent a disturbance.

But there is a limit to what the Garda can do. Often by the time they arrive on the scene, the damage is done...

The street cleaners in our towns and cities have an early start on Sunday to hose down vomit-drenched pavements, and get rid of the traces of another night of excess.

On Mondays, doctors are asked for the morning after pill by young women who cannot remember if they have had unprotected sex.

Their recollection of the weekend's events is hazy, but they want to make sure that their memories will not be jogged by an unexpected pregnancy.

The financial cost of coping with alcohol misuse is staggering - and imagine what the emergency services could achieve if they were relieved of this heavy burden.

The social and emotional costs are enormous too. There can be few families in Ireland that have not been touched by a son or daughter's excessive appetite for drink.

The increase in alcohol consumption is an unwelcome consequence of the Tiger economy and people - especially the young - are drinking dangerously, largely this is because they can afford to do so.

In the past, overall levels of drinking were held down by our lack of spending power.

Contrary to the national stereotype, Ireland had a low level of alcohol consumption for most of the twentieth century.

The Pioneer Total Abstinence Association was a major force in social life and at its peak in the 1940s and 1950s could attract crowds of up to 90,000 to rallies in Croke Park.

Between 1960 and 1975, the average amount of alcohol consumed in Ireland doubled, but the country remained close to the bottom of the European league table. The Portuguese and French drank three times as much.

The rate remained fairly steady until 1990, by which time it was close to the European average (other countries having substantially reduced their drinking).

Then came a significant surge. Between 1989 and 1999 the rise in alcohol consumption in Ireland was 41 per cent, by far the highest in the EU.

ACCORDING to World Health Organisation figures, by the year 2000 there were only 11 countries with higher average consumption than Ireland. This is a disturbing rise.

The way we drink causes problems too. High volumes are consumed, without food, in a relatively short period of time.

Large groups of intoxicated young men and women emerge from pubs and clubs at around the same time, creating a volatile context. A misinterpreted comment or a glance can lead to a vicious attack.

Recent years have seen a steady rise in disorder on the streets. The Garda annual report contains details of the number of prosecutions for intoxication in a public place, disorderly conduct, threatening or abusive or insulting behaviour, and failing to comply with the direction of a garda.

In 1995, there were just over 10,000 prosecutions for such matters.

The statistics for 2001, published last week, showed that this had grown to almost 43,000.

Of more concern is the increase in the number of killings. The table shows the number of cases of murder and manslaughter in the first year of every decade over the past half century. The upward trend is clear.

There are good grounds for believing that the rise in lethal violence is related to the rise in alcohol consumption.

Dr Enda Dooley, of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, reviewed all cases of homicide that took place over a 25- year period. He found that in around half of the total, the victim or the perpetrator or both were drunk at the time of the killing.

There is also a relationship between alcohol and sexual offences as well.

A study by the Royal College of Surgeons found that alcohol was involved in almost half of cases of sexual assault that occurred between adults.

Many of those who are now reading their Sunday papers will have enjoyed a glass of wine with their dinner last night or a pint with friends

It is easy to dismiss as a killjoy anyone who wishes to reduce the overall amount that we drink.

However, there can be little doubt that a reduction in alcohol consumption would result in a safer society.

This message was made strongly by the Prime Time programme.

As the festive season approaches, the importance of moderation is greater than ever.

And never, ever, drink and drive.

It may not be just your own life you take or self that you maim.

YEAR NUMBER OF KILLINGS

1951 8

1961 13

1971 14

1981 35

1991 31

2001 58

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