A MORAL FERMENT An Examination of the Moral Foundations Shaping the Involvement of Religious Organisations in Addressing Alcohol Problems in Contemporary Irish Society

This research explores the role of religion in alcohol related issues in contemporary Ireland, the forces shaping alcohol policy and the role of spiritually inspired methods in alcohol addiction treatment and recovery. The study’s primary objective is to investigate how the evaluation of the problematic use of alcohol is constructed through multiple actors in policy formation and addiction treatment. To achieve this objective, an interdisciplinary and multi-faceted approach adopted a qualitative methodology including a literature review, theoretical framework and eighteen in-depth interviews from a diverse and eclectic mix of participants. Alcohol policy formation and addiction treatment has been in a process of secularisation for decades, as religious institutions and concepts continue to lose legitimacy. The findings suggest that religion has very weak purchase on policy makers; nevertheless, there are often unacknowledged philosophical moral foundations to policy recommendations. Further, a broader moral malaise is identified, rooted in a neoliberal approach to alcohol policy prioritising support of the alcohol industry over the recommendations of those addressing the negative impacts of alcohol abuse. Neoliberal alcohol policy has widely been seen as creating a moral vacuum through its emphasis on individual autonomy in relation to consumption decision. While addiction therapists do not see religion as a resource to break addiction, the concept of spirituality holds significant weight in treatment, recovery and the search for meaning. Thus, the two most salient features of the study suggest; firstly, while many see benefits of alcohol in moderation, alcohol abuse remains hugely problematic across Irish society costing the exchequer €2.35 billion annually in addition to many social ills. Secondly, despite secularisation and in conjunction with evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI), the existential value of spirituality continues to provide a counter-measure as a metaphysical force to aid those afflicted by addiction