Dr. Eamon Keenan:

We are talking here about sports sponsorship but I urge the committee to see the strategy as a whole. We have spoken about the need to introduce a social responsibility levy on the drinks industry which could go some way towards funding sporting organisations. There are alternative forms of sponsorship. The drinks industry aggressively aims at sporting organisations to provide sponsorship for them. If they were not there other areas of society would want to advertise through sport because it is seen as a healthy alternative for young people as they grow up. RaboDirect has replaced Magners.

Reference was made to Liverpool and Carlsberg. When Liverpool played in France and Carlsberg did not appear on their jerseys, my son asked me what was going on. It was the first time he mentioned alcohol advertising and the ban in France had any impact in Ireland.