Dr. Geoffrey Shannon:

Undoubtedly, those working at the coal face see this. I think there is a slight degree of ambivalence about alcohol. As a society, we have all become very comfortable with alcohol. I saw it coming alive when I was trying to reconstruct the shattered lives of children who died in State care. It is only when one examines case scenarios to ascertain the root causes and the common denominators that one appreciates this. As Deputy Conway has said, the key common denominator across all the case files was alcohol abuse and the failure to check that abuse at an early stage. It is not just a question for the Government; it is a question for society as well. The Government has a role. It needs to start by sending out a clear message that alcohol is a real problem that needs to be addressed.