Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What is the witnesses' opinion of what I am about to say? There is a question. Local clubs can survive without alcohol sponsorship. In my first few years as a county councillor I set up a soccer league with 16 teams, in order to give people of all ages something to do. Every week I received a phone call from a pub asking me would I bring them in there afterwards for a few sandwiches. My response was to put the tournament on later to make sure they would not be able to get to the pub but this went on for two years. We resisted it. Our league was successful and we were not dependent on the alcohol industry. There is another way. There has to be another way because it is not acceptable for young people to go around with jerseys with advertisements for alcohol printed on them. It is sick.