Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor Murray and the other speakers for their presentations. I would like them to spell out why they are here. Do they have a vested interest? Are they here as doctors? I have just had an opportunity, during the vote, to speak to some of our elected representatives, who tell me they do not agree with minimum unit pricing. They have not sat on this committee and have not heard of the different hazards involved. Therefore, the witnesses need to spell it out loudly and clearly to Deputies, Senators and the general public.

I am not a killjoy or a puritan, but I am here as a mother who, years ago when my kids were teenagers, worried about whether they would come home safely at night or be beaten up. I am a concerned member of the community and a public representative. I have lots of friends and family members who have had problems with drink. I would like the witnesses to spell out for the listening public why they are here.

We are in here every second week talking about the accident and emergency departments and patients on trolleys. If, for example, we could sort out the 200,000 people who Professor Murray says are chronic dependent drinkers, how many beds would be freed up in our hospitals? How would our accident and emergency departments work then?

I will give one example. I spoke to a young doctor - not a junior doctor or consultant, but a registrar - who was in an accident and emergency department recently. He was trying to deal with a lady having a heart attack, yet beside him in the next cubicle was someone who was drunk and disorderly. That person took way more energy and observation than the poor woman having a heart attack. We need to get real. I hear different excuses, including minimum unit pricing and below-cost selling. I presume, however, the medical witnesses are here because they are on the front line dealing with people who are dying.

I heard patients speak at the Royal College of Surgeons and I felt sorry for the individual concerned, but I am sure doctors are used to that all the time. One of our committee members mentioned women drinking. I would like the witnesses to spell out the difference in the effect that the same number of units of alcohol has on men and women who consume them. Are doctors seeing more women coming through for such treatment?

Deputy Catherine Byrne referred to foetal alcohol syndrome and, as a school principal, I have also seen that condition. It is sad because it could have been avoided, yet such children carry that syndrome with them for the rest of their lives.

Those are the points I wished to raise. I really want the witnesses to spell it out for Deputies and Senators who will be voting on this matter, as well as for the general public. At the last meeting, I mentioned to Professor Murray that parents have contacted me wondering why their 17 and 18 year old children cannot buy cheap alcohol. They have asked me why I am such a killjoy. Will the medical witnesses here please spell it out?