Alcohol Forum Directors Denis Bradley, Sean Sheridan and Shauna Mc Cleneghan with the BT Young Scientists at the Alcohol Forum Conference 2015
Our local communities in Ireland continue to suffer an unacceptable burden of harm from alcohol. In light of the Minister for Health Leo Varadker’s public statement that the forthcoming Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is a priority within his department, the 3rd Annual Alcohol Forum Conference 2015 aims to continue the work of dedicated partners across the community, voluntary and statutory sectors in the pursuit of reducing alcohol consumption and related harms in Ireland. This year’s theme focused on
“Using the Best Available Evidence – Supporting the implementation of local solutions to reduce alcohol consumption levels and alcohol harms”
The Alcohol Forum’s 3rd Annual National Conference took place on Wednesday 22nd April 2015 in the Croke Park Conference Centre, Croke Park in Dublin. This Conference was the Flagship Event of Action on Alcohol Week 2015. Action on Alcohol Week formerly known as Alcohol Awareness Week is an initiative of the Alcohol Forum, established in 2013.
The Alcohol Forum is committed to reducing the alcohol consumption levels and alcohol-related harm in Ireland. Our efforts to do so focus mainly at community level partnership action promoting initiatives based on the best available evidence. The Alcohol Forum is conscious that tackling Irelands Alcohol culture can be viewed from many different perspectives therefore understanding each perspective is integral in determining best practice. The 3rd Annual Alcohol Forum Conference 2015 continued the work of dedicated partners across the community, voluntary and statutory sectors in the pursuit of reducing alcohol consumption and related harms in Ireland. The conference encouraged all organisations, agencies and individuals involved in the fields of Alcohol, education, prevention, treatment rehabilitation and supply reduction to learn together and promote a shared responsibility in reinforcing resilience within in our communities to tackle the alcohol culture in Ireland.
The conference also provided a forum for knowledge sharing through Master classes and specialist workshops offered as part of the conference programme. The Master Classes created an opportunity for delegates and speakers to continue dialogue on key contributing factors to alcohol harms, national and international policy and exemplars of evidenced based practice initiatives.
The main events included:
- International keynote speakers
- National experts on the field of public health
- Informal plenary discussions as part of the Conference Master classes
- Poster Presentations highlighting innovative local initiatives
