Mr. Philip Browne:

Brands advertise in order to capture market share and increase the consumption of their product. It is interesting that over the past five years, sales of beer in Ireland have declined by 15% and yet the alcohol companies are still advertising. The reason they do it is that they are competing against each other for brand and market share. This is what is motivating the alcohol companies. It is to ensure they can survive in what is a diminishing market. We are sporting organisations so we are not equipped to do this sort of research in many respects. This is research that should be done by the relevant organisations within Government.

However, research has been done. It is worth noting the European school survey on alcohol and drugs, carried out in 2011, which showed there was a significant decrease in heavy episodic, binge drinking - by 17% to 40% in Ireland versus 52% in the UK, 44% in France and 39% on average in the EU. There is a perception that there is an increasing problem when an independent European body shows we actually have an improving situation. We have been asking the Department of Health for some time to show us the evidence. If the evidence is there, then of course we are interested in the health of the nation. The reality is we are in an improving situation in this regard.

Another interesting fact comes from France when the Loi Évin was put in place in 1991. The reality is that while underage abuse and misuse of alcohol is in decline in Ireland, it is on the increase in France. There is something not quite joined up in our thinking. I am all in favour of the relevant authorities conducting research to see if we can back up some of this independent research that has been done.