County Monaghan is included in a national initiative to reduce and prevent alcohol harm in communities. Various local experts and stakeholders have come together to take part in the World Health Organisation's "Building Safer Communities" with Ireland being the first country on Europe to take it up. The North East Regional Drugs and Alcohol Taskforce will lead the programme locally.
The "Safer Package" of measures includes strengthening restrictions on alcohol availability by, for example, monitoring late night bar opening or asking where or how young people are getting access to alcohol; asking if local parents know the effect of alcohol on young people's brains; considering drink driving counter measures and improving access to screening and treatments available locally.
One area the WHO research has shone a light on is the Irish culture of giving teenagers alcohol at home (listen below):
