The alcohol consumption in Ireland has fallen by 20% over 12 years, with the idea that all Irish people now drink to excess now believed to be far from the truth.

New figures, from the Revenue Commissioners, show a 4.4% drop in the volume of alcohol consumed in Ireland in the past year, with the consumption of both cider and spirits falling over 13%. Levels of teenagers drinking alcohol has also dropped.

Kathryn D’Arcy, director of The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland, emphasised that Irish levels of alcohol consumption are no longer the aberration, in wider European terms, which they once were.

D’Arcy said: "There is a fall in alcohol consumption and we are fast approaching European norms.

"We have seen recent studies by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and other studies showing that our teens are consuming less alcohol than they were a number of years ago, while other countries are seeing that they are having an increase in the problem of underage drinking.

"So I think we are doing some things right and I think we need to focus."