Alcohol was listed on death certificates in almost 1,900 fatalities over a three-year period, statistics reveal.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show that between 2007 and 2009 alcohol was mentioned on death certificates in 1,895 cases dealt with by coroners.
Chairwoman of the Coroners Society, Isobel O’Dea, said anecdotally there had been a rise in the number of cases coming before coroners where alcohol had played a significant role, but she stressed that just because alcohol is mentioned on a death certificate did not mean it played a direct or contributory role in the death.
Ms O’Dea, the Clare county coroner, said it was likely alcohol would only warrant a mention on a death certificate if the amount found in toxicology reports was a minimum of 100mg, which is higher than the current drink- driving limit.
Source: Noel Baker, Irish Examiner, 09/05/2011
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