Less than four-in-ten people are aware that drinking alcohol can increase the risk of developing cancer, according to new research from the HSE.
This is compared to more than seven out of ten people who know about the link between smoking and cancer.
Scientific research also shows alcohol can cause at least seven types of cancer including mouth, throat and voicebox.
A Consultant in Public Health Medicine with the HSE National Health Improvement Programme has said that reducing alcohol intake reduces the risk of cancer.
Alcohol is one of the key preventable causes of cancer, as is smoking, Dr Claire Neill said, but many people are unaware of this.
"It has been classified as a group one carcinogen which means alcohol causes cancer and that includes seven types of cancer that we are aware of," she said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
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"Getting that information out there really helps people to make make more informed decisions about drinking alcohol and about their health."
Dr Neill said that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for health and "low risk isn't no risk".
Alcohol consumption by Irish adults fell by 4.5% last year, continuing a downward trend recorded over the last 25 years, according to a recent report.
The report, commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland, shows that average alcohol consumption per adult fell by 4.5% last year to 9.49 litres of pure alcohol.
This is a drop of more than one third (34.3%) since 2001.
