An addiction counsellor is concerned about the availability and affordability of alcohol.
Two midlands towns are among the most accessible to alcohol in the country.
A report by the Health Research Board has found there are 4.3 liquor licenses per 1,000 of the population in Athlone, while that rate is 4.0 in Tullamore.
The figure is 3.4 in Mullingar, and 2.8 in Portlaoise.
The report examined the impact of the wide availability and affordability of alcohol, and found three quarters of the population in Ireland live within 300 meters of a licenced premises
Mick Devine, an addiction counsellor with the Tabor Group, says it shows alcohol remains very affordable in Ireland:
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