Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland
Ireland: Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days was 51.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland is 51.1%, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland peaked at 53.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 48.7%, in 2013.
That places Ireland 34th out of 187 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 53.6% | — |
| 2001 | 53.5% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 53.2% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 52.6% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 52.5% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 52.4% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 52.5% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 52.5% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 51.6% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 50.4% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 50.3% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 49.9% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 49.5% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 48.7% | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 48.8% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 49.9% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 50.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 50.5% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 51.1% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 51.1% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 51.1% | +0.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 51.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 38.1%, 1.3× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 51.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 36.1%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 52.5% | 50.4% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.0% | 48.7% | 51.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.1% | 51.1% | 51.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More reference data data for Ireland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0921 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5015 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland?
- Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days in Ireland was 51.1% in 2020, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 53.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.7% in 2013.
- How does Ireland rank for share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days?
- Ireland ranks 34th out of 187 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of drinkers who have had a heavy drinking session in past 30 days. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Heavy episodic drinking (drinkers only) is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers (15+ years) who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. A consumption of 60 grams of pure alcohol corresponds approximately to 6 standard alcoholic drinks.