if there was more public transport or taxis in rural areas,people would not have to drink at home,they would be able to go to the pub [to] drink and have an alternative form of transport to get home.

This assumes that people "have to drink" somewhere. Another alternative is to refrain from drinking. No one HAS to drink except the alcoholic who is addicted to it.

Besides, the no-public-transport argument is "a load of codswallop", according to Susan Gray, founder of Public Against Road Carnage (PARC) in the article I quoted earlier in this thread. Remember that Ms Gray said, "I live in a rural part of Ireland, you can't get anymore rural than Inishowen, and we make alternative arrangements about getting home from the pub, it's that simple."

So there you go. It can be done and it is BEING done already.