If a company hosts a social evening off site which involves alcohol and a ‘drunk’ staff member is injured on their way home after the event is company liable/responsible?

Despite being a country noted for binge drinking, in general terms issues of an employer's legal liability in such situations rarely arise for consideration. We are not aware of any legal authority in Ireland which supports the general proposition that an employer is legally liable in these circumstances.

However, that does not meant that an employer does not owe a duty of care to employees when hosting social events, particularly where alcohol is provided by it. In most cases such a duty of care to employees can be discharged by issuing guidelines in advance to employees and through reasonable vigilance at the event itself. Such advance employer guidelines before a significant social