Alcohol Programme
To achieve a healthier and safer Ireland by working to reduce individual and population alcohol consumption and health inequalities, and protecting children, families and communities from alcohol-related harm.
To order alcohol related brochures and leaflets please visit www.healthpromotion.ie
To access all alcohol related information visit www.askaboutalcohol.ie
HSE Alcohol Programme
Established in 2016 to bring leadership and focus to the impact of alcohol related harm on the physical, emotional and mental health of individuals, families and children.
A key aim is to reduce the per capita consumption of alcohol from current levels of 10.8 litres of pure alcohol per capita to 9.1% in line with Healthy Ireland Framework 2013-2025
Working with the Department of Health and Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland and a range of different stakeholders to proactively support the Public Health Alcohol Act, enacted in 2018.
The HSE Alcohol Programme will achieve its vision through:
- Identifying agreed national priority areas of focus and opportunities for action
- Facilitating and participating in cross-sectoral collaboration and partnership
- Informing the public about alcohol and tackling social and cultural norms through the Ask About Alcohol campaign and website
- Supporting the implementation of effective alcohol policy, legislation and regulations
- Building capacity within and across services to identify and effectively respond to harmful alcohol consumption
- Supporting evidence-based public health interventions and community action
Key National Priority Areas of Focus
Priority action areas
The following are the priority action areas for this implementation plan.
1. Leadership and governance
Provide national leadership in the prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm, with an updated governance infrastructure.
2. Build partnerships for a systems-wide approach to reducing alcohol harm
Build and enhance partnerships with a wide range of services, organisations and sectors to develop and implement policy and practice that prevents and reduces alcohol harm.
3. Protect the population from alcohol harm by:
- Conducting a range of initiatives to prevent alcohol harm
- For young students attending secondary schools, disseminate ‘Know the Score’ Senior Cycle SPHE & ‘Healthy Choices’ Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum in schools and Information for Parents Booklet on How to Talk to your Children about Drugs and Alcohol
- Implementation of a 3-year Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) prevention plan
- Povision of capacity-building and support for evidence-informed community initiatives
4. Inform and empower the population
Be the go-to, authoritative, and evidence-based resource for information on alcohol, and tackle social and cultural norms through effective communication strategies.
5. Identify and respond to harmful or dependent alcohol use
Build capacity within services to respond to harmful alcohol use through screening and early intervention, deliver staff education and support initiatives to effectively respond to alcohol harm, scope the development of online/digital interventions, and seek resources to expand the availability and range of alcohol services.
6. Develop and use research and evidence
Harness existing data sources and support the development and use of new data and evidence to inform policy and service delivery.
AskAboutAlcohol.ie launch videos
Social media resources
- Social media banner mental health
- Social media banner cancer
- Social media banner weight gain
- Social media banner performance
- Social media banner more energy
Resources
- Alcohol-free pregnancy
- Alcohol poster male
- Alcohol poster female
- Pregnancy and Alcohol Leaflet
- Alcohol and Cancer, Reducing the Risk Infographic
- Alcohol and Brain Infographic
Useful Links
HSE Position on Prevention of FASD (PDF, 220 KB, 9 pages)
World Health Organisation SAFER (PDF, 1.85 MB, 2 pages)
Reducing Alcohol Related Harm (RARHA) EU
WHO Action Plan on Alcohol (PDF, 1.04 MB, 37 pages)
Public Health Alcohol Act 2018
National Substance Misuse Strategy 2012
Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery