DUBLIN, Ireland: Alcohol misuse is costing Irish workplaces an estimated 8.5 billion euros each year in lost productivity, according to a new report from Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI).

The advocacy group, which campaigns for policies to reduce alcohol-related harm, is calling on the government to adopt stronger measures to address what it describes as a "significant economic and social burden."

While alcohol's effects on public health, healthcare costs, crime, and road safety are well known, the report Alcohol's Cost to the Workplace highlights its damaging impact on employment and productivity. Drawing on national and international data, AAI shows how harmful drinking undermines workers' wellbeing, employer performance, and the wider economy.

One of the report's central findings is that workplace culture itself can sometimes encourage unhealthy drinking patterns, either through social norms or weak support structures. AAI argues that employers and trade unions have a key role in reducing harm by creating supportive working environments. Positive measures include fair treatment, recognition, skills development, career opportunities, and social support networks among colleagues and supervisors.

The study details how alcohol impacts productivity. Heavy drinkers are 22 times more likely to miss work due to alcohol-related issues than low-risk drinkers. Yet, the greater challenge is "presenteeism" — when employees are at work but underperform due to health or emotional problems. The report attributes 77 percent of productivity losses to presenteeism, compared with 23 percent to absenteeism.

Alcohol misuse also increases the risk of long-term unemployment. Research indicates that heavy drinkers are up to five times more likely to experience joblessness than light drinkers.

Dr. Sheila Gilheany, AAI's chief executive, stressed the scale of the problem: "Alcohol is by far the most used psychoactive substance in the workforce. Many people consume it in harmful patterns that heighten the risk of social, legal, medical, occupational, and economic problems."

According to the report, over half of Irish drinkers fall into the hazardous category, with 578,000 people meeting the criteria for an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Around 90,000 of them are considered to be at a severe level.

Beyond lost productivity, alcohol-related impairment poses safety risks. Workers under the influence or even hungover are more likely to cause accidents, injuries, and workplace disruptions. The consequences, AAI notes, are "multifaceted": employees suffer in health and performance, colleagues take on heavier workloads, and employers lose competitiveness.

Overall, alcohol harm costs the Irish economy about 14 billion euros annually — or 2.5 percent of GDP — with workplace losses making up the largest share. AAI says the government must adopt stronger policies to curb the damage.