Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I want to raise the matter of alcohol consumption in Ireland. According to a recent European survey, the Irish nation consumes 20% more alcohol than our European partners. A recent survey also indicated that 42% of boys and 44% of girls aged between the ages of 15 and 16 years had a binge drinking session in the last month. I call for an urgent debate on why Irish people drink more than the European average consumption rate. There is nothing wrong with a little drop of alcohol. The grape is a gift from God and man has been able to convert it into a beautiful beverage. What is wrong with the Irish psyche that we drink so much? What is the need to do so? No adequate study has been done as to why Ireland is 20% above the European average.