What is the drinking age in Ireland?
Asked by: Addie Olson | Last update: January 26, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (7 votes)
The legal drinking age in the Republic of Ireland is 18, meaning you must be 18 to buy or be served alcohol in pubs, restaurants, or off-licenses, with strict penalties for selling to minors. While under-18s can sometimes enter pubs with a parent, they generally can't stay late, with exceptions for events with a meal, and it's illegal for them to drink alcohol in public places, with Gardaí able to confiscate alcohol and contact parents.
Where is the drinking age 16?
A legal drinking age of 16 for beer and wine exists in several European countries like Germany, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg, where 16-year-olds can buy and consume these lower-alcohol drinks, while spirits are usually restricted until 18; other nations like Cuba, Serbia, and Zimbabwe also set their minimum age at 16 for all alcohol, though rules vary.
What is the lowest drinking age in Europe?
Germany has the lowest entry point for alcohol in Europe, allowing 14-year-olds to drink beer and wine with parental supervision, while 16-year-olds can buy them without, with spirits restricted to 18; other countries like Austria, Belgium, and Denmark also permit beer/wine at 16, emphasizing supervised introduction to reduce risky drinking, but some nations have no set age or stricter rules.
What can you legally do at 16 in Ireland?
At 16 in Ireland, you can legally work full-time (with restrictions), leave school (after 3 years of secondary), consent to medical treatment (except some mental health), drive mopeds/tractors, join some apprenticeships, and consent to sex. Key milestones include driving cars (17), getting married (with parental consent), and claiming unemployment (18).
Are pubs in Ireland over 21?
Age Restrictions
The legal age to drink in Dublin is 18 but some bars and nightclubs may not let you in unless you're over 19, 21, 23 or even 25 for that matter.
What Is The Legal Drinking Age In Ireland? - Discovering Ireland Now
Where is 13 the legal drinking age?
A drinking age of 13, or the ability for 13-year-olds to legally buy alcohol, is found in Burkina Faso, an African country with no national minimum age for off-premise sales, making it easily accessible, though this lenient policy has public health impacts. Other countries, like the Central African Republic (15) and some in Europe (16 for beer/wine), have low ages, but 13 is specifically linked to Burkina Faso.
Is 14 the drinking age in Germany?
In Germany, the minimum age for consuming and purchasing beer and wine is 16 years old. However, for spirits and drinks containing spirits, the minimum age is 18 years old.
Can a 13 year old get a tattoo in Ireland?
There is no legislation regulating body piercing and tattooing. As a result there is no legal minimum age at which you can get a body piercing or tattoo.
Can 16 year olds drink with parents in Ireland?
The only way that someone below the age of 18 can legally drink alcohol in Ireland is it they're in a private residence and if they have parental permission.
What is the oldest age a woman can have a baby?
There's no strict biological limit, but natural pregnancy becomes highly unlikely by the mid-40s as egg quality and quantity decline; however, with IVF and donor eggs, women can conceive and give birth into their 50s, with records of successful pregnancies in the 60s, though fertility clinics often set age limits like 52-55 for treatment.
What is Russia's drinking age?
The legal drinking age in Russia is 18, allowing individuals to purchase and consume alcohol, though there have been ongoing proposals by officials to raise the age for strong alcohol to 21, which hasn't been implemented nationally despite some regional debates. Sales are restricted by time (no strong alcohol after 10 PM) and location (near schools/institutions), and while 18 is the standard, some venues may enforce an over-21 policy, with ID checks common for both purchase and entry to bars.
What is the drinking age in France?
The legal drinking age in France is currently 18-years-old, at which age residents and tourists alike can purchase alcohol or drink it in bars or restaurants. (Though from 16-years-old, French teens may order alcoholic beverages at restaurants in the presence of their adult guardians.)
Can 16 year olds drink with parents in Spain?
Yes, in Spain, a 16-year-old can generally drink beer or wine with their parents or legal guardians in restaurants and private settings, even though the official legal age for purchasing alcohol is 18; it's common for teens to have small amounts with family, but buying it themselves or drinking heavily in public places is prohibited and can lead to fines for establishments, according to this Facebook post and this Facebook post.
Is there a country with no drinking age?
However, Angola (except Luanda Province), Central African Republic, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali have no laws on the books restricting the sale of alcohol to minors. In Libya, Somalia and Sudan the sale, production and consumption of alcohol is completely prohibited.
Where is the youngest drinking age in the US?
The legal drinking age varies from country to country. In the United States, the legal drinking age is currently 21, except in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where it is 18.
What is the legal drinking age in China?
The legal drinking age in China is 18 years old.
How strict are Ireland's alcohol laws?
The sale of alcoholic drinks is controlled by law, and only licensed businesses can serve or sell alcohol. It is an offence to serve alcohol to a person under 18, and pubs, hotels and restaurants that serve alcohol can do so only during specified hours.
What is the drinking age in England?
Across the UK, if you're under 18 it's against the law: For someone to sell you alcohol. To buy or try to buy alcohol. For an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol on your behalf.
Is 17 a minor in Ireland?
According to Irish law, the legal age for consenting to sexual acts is 17. This means that it is illegal to engage in sexual activity with anyone under 17 and for a person in a position of authority, it is illegal to engage in sexual activity with anyone under 18.
What can you legally do at 14 in Ireland?
Children of 14 years of age cannot work during term-time. They may be permitted to work a maximum of 35 hours a week during school holidays, and a maximum of 40 hours a week on work experience.
Can you get a tattoo at 70 years old?
As you age, your skin becomes thinner and less elastic, which can make the healing process take longer. However, tattoos and old age can go hand in hand with the right considerations and planning. You can certainly still get a tattoo, but you'll need to think about the best spot for it.
What is the legal age to leave a child home alone in Ireland?
Supervision of Children
There is no set age at which it is legal to leave children home alone, as it depends on whether the child is mature enough to be left alone. In Ireland, children under 14 years of age are not seen to be mature enough to be left alone or unsupervised.
Can you drink at 14 in France?
In France, the legal drinking age to buy or be served alcohol in public places is 18 for all drinks, but culturally, parents can serve younger teens (like 14-year-olds) small amounts of wine or beer at home during meals as part of their education, though strict laws against public sales and offer to minors under 18 exist. While technically illegal for shops to sell to under 18s, enforcement is lax for beer/wine, but nightclubs will ID strictly, and binge drinking is a growing concern.
What is the legal drinking age in Spain?
In contrast with the U.S., the legal drinking age in Spain is 18, except in the province of Asturias, where it is 16.
Who has the highest drinking age?
The majority of countries have set MLDA at 18 or 19 years. The United States (except Puerto Rico and Virginia's Island) and 19 other countries, especially Asian countries, have the highest set MLDA. However, some areas in India have drinking ages as high as 25-30 years.