The Minister of State with Responsibility for Children has announced a new consultation process with teenagers on the problem of alcohol misuse.
Brian Lenihan said excessive alcohol consumption was becoming a major concern in society, particularly among young people.
He cited the results of a survey by European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs that found that 57 per cent of 15-year-olds said they had five or more alcoholic drinks in a row at least once in the last 30 days. The figure is an increase of 10 per cent since 1995.
Irish teens were joint third out of 34 countries in terms of alcohol consumption, the study found. Irish girls were found to have the second highest levels of binge drinking.
"We need to find out why young people drink, how they are introduced to it and how they view excessive drinking," Mr Lenihan said. "We will also seek their views on the most effective way to deal with teenage binge. It may be that in our adult approach to this problem, we are asking the wrong questions and it is important that teenagers are involved in designing our research."
The study will involve several hundred children aged between 14 and 18 from all socio-economic groups.
However, Youth Work Ireland claimed the new consultation process was an "unnecessary diversion", arguing the issue has been addressed previously.
"Young people have been over consulted about alcohol, what's needed now is action by the Government and the Minister for Health to fully implement the Governments own Strategic Task Force on Alcohol," said Michael McLoughlin of YWI.
"It is over two years since the [task force] reported and both Dáil na nÓg and Mary McAleese's Alcohol Forum have called for similar action," he added. "The Minister ... should take these findings and bring them to Cabinet and insist they are implemented. More consultation will not change the issues, the Government has dragged it heels on its own policy and this needs to end."
The Strategic Task Force on Alcohol set up in 2002 has made around 100 recommendations. These include the regulation of alcohol availability, the promotion of alcohol products and the provision of information, education and treatment services.