Ireland's 'booze culture' is having serious effects on the country's mental health, the Minister of State at the Department of Health has said.
Mr Tim O'Malley made the comments as he welcomed the passing of the Intoxicating Liquor Act this afternoon. He said that if people continued to drink at the present rate, the country could have a serious mental health problem on its hands very quickly.
The act, which passed through all its stages in the Oireachtas today, aims to provide a clear statutory basis for the holding of alcohol free events for under 18s on licensed premises.
"Booze culture is having serious effects on this country's mental health. The link between alcohol and depression must be highlighted," the minister said.
"Medical research has proven a clear and definite link between the abuse of alcohol and depression, and has found that Ireland's boozy culture is underpinning a rise in depression and suicide among our young people.
"It is no coincidence that, as the heaviest drinkers in Europe, we also have an alarming rate of suicide, especially among our young people.
"Researchers have discovered that the growth in the consumption of alcohol in Ireland over the last 10 years has been paralleled by a rise in the number of people suffering from depression."
He said the steady jump in drink sales has also been matched by an increase in the number of young people committing suicide.
"Alcohol is a depressant and withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety attacks, feelings of depression and despair and even suicidal thoughts. Binge-drinking ncreases the severity of these symptoms and a heavy night's drinking can leave people feeling down and depressed for a number of days after.
"The current pattern of heavy boozing through the weekend, followed by a period of high anxiety and depression, followed by more drinking will make us a nation of depressives in a very short space of time.
"Young people in particular must be made aware of the serious damage heavy drinking can place on their mental health and how easy it is to become depressed, which will then only be exacerbated if the drinking continues."