Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps it is not rocket science as we seem to think. In a different generation parents had to deal with the advent of drink, drugs and other issues that had the potential to impact negatively on children. It is still a battle to address the issue of alcohol as some have the view that drugs are bad and drink is good. At what age do young people start to drink? The law indicates that a person must be 18 years, but there is scarcely a child who reaches 18 before he or she has had some interaction with drink. There is an ongoing debate between parents and kids. We must almost use the same channels and methodologies in dealing with this matter. Is a young person allowed to go to a house party? His or her parents might not be sure as they do not know the other parents. Will they be in the house and who else is going to the party? These are all issues, but we have managed to reach some compromise between parents and kids. We almost need to use the same common sense approach in dealing with this issue.