Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Members have given their views on the state of the nation in the debate regarding alcohol consumption and that is why the debate is important. A number of the measures in the Bill attempt to reduce the availability of alcohol and to focus on binge drinking and licensing. Dr. Gordon Holmes and the alcohol advisory group should be commended both on their recommendations and the speed with which they reported following the Minister's request.

Ireland has one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption per capita in the EU. While we all recognise that, we sometimes need the figures to underline how stark is the problem. Our consumption is 30% higher than the average in the Union. Binge drinking levels are high and such drinking spans age groups and is not only confined to young people. Drinking is associated with celebration in Ireland and, as Deputy Kenneally said, it is part of our culture, as highlighted on radio and television programmes, to ask what one is doing for the weekend with the reply being, "having a few pints". We are all guilty of this but we should be cognisant of the major problem we face. Media contributors should be aware their comments, however loose and conversational, can have an effect, particularly on young people.

In 2006, a national study of the behaviour of school aged children found that 50% of those aged between 15 and 17 reported they take a drink and one third had been "drunk in the previous 30 days". While that may not be surprising, what we can do about it? A total of 40% of proceedings taken each year for public order offences involve intoxication in a public place. I know from dealing with local gardaí what a problem this can be for them during the summer, in particular, when the evenings are long and young people congregate in open spaces or in places where they cannot be seen. Many of them drink and gardaí are powerless to take the alcohol from them. Hopefully, the measures in the Bill will permit gardaí who suspect young people are drinking and have alcohol in containers to seize them. The more authority the Garda can be given in this area, the better.

I agree the abolition of the groceries order has resulted in the proliferation of below-cost selling of alcohol. Multiples in the area I live sell a number of brands of beer for less than €1 and they have special offers for weekends, barbecue nights and bank holiday weekends. Like it or not, young people are getting their hands on these products, leading to long-term damage in many cases. The problem lies in the fact that, while some can recover and get a bit of calm and sense when they reach 18 or 21 years of age and are allowed into nightclubs and bars, others can be particularly vulnerable and inflict long-term harm on their physical and mental health.

In April, the HSE released a report entitled, Alcohol Related Harm in Ireland. It showed that not only does alcohol have a negative effect on drinkers' health, but it plays an increasing role in the harm caused to many others in terms of violence, murder, road accidents and the effects of excessive drinking during pregnancy. Some findings suggest that individual consumption of alcohol has increased by almost 3% and that 28% of all injury-related attendances in accident and emergency units are alcohol-related, which places significant pressure on a stretched service and causes nurses, consultants, registrars and other staff hardship. Being at the coalface, they must deal with the problems, but there are no guidelines. Everyone who presents is a patient and must be dealt with. The situation is not pleasant for the staff and can frustrate their attempts to deal with genuine cases.

Alcohol is a contributory factor in many fatal road accidents. I welcome our debate on reducing the alcohol limit, in respect of which the Minister for Transport was questioned last week. The allowable blood-alcohol level is decreasing across Europe. Ireland must consider this issue because alcohol can affect people's judgment. For example, intoxication is a factor in a large number of road accidents and fatal crashes. I commend the Road Safety Authority on its television advertisements, which are stark, necessary and effective.

It is estimated that alcohol is involved in 25% of severe cases of domestic abuse. Half of men and more than one quarter of women agree that drinking alcohol can contribute to their having sex without the use of contraception. While we are all aware of these issues, we must be reminded of them. Dr. Joe Barry, who has been to the fore in highlighting the dangers of alcohol abuse, stated:

This report shows that alcohol related harm is not only confined to the negative consequences experienced by the drinker, such as illness and disease, but extends to others as well, which too often can lead to physical injury or even death. Inevitably, this also causes strain on health services and its staff.

This echoes the concerns of staff working in accident and emergency units. Many high-profile accident and emergency consultants have publicly outlined the pressure under which they operate when dealing with alcohol-related admissions.

The Bill does not amend many matters that others and I would have liked to have seen addressed, but I look forward to the debate on the control of alcohol Bill later this year. An important issue in respect of which other committee members and I have received submissions is that of the display of alcohol. I welcome the Minister's dealing with this issue. Originally, the Bill provided that such displays would need to be cordoned off from public view, but this provision caused concern. On Tuesday, the Minister stated he would consider the introduction of a voluntary code. While we must examine its details, I expect they will be thrashed out on Committee Stage. I ask that the Minister be conscious of the importance of policing the code.

There has been a proliferation in the number of off-licences, garages, forecourts, convenience stores and supermarkets selling wines, beers and spirits. A primary concern cited in the 2004 report of Dr. Barry and his alcohol advisory group related to the availability of alcohol and it recommended that the number of premises in which it could be sold be reduced. Unfortunately, there has since been a significant increase in that number. It is important that controls are introduced. While the Minister should not be led by the degree of hardship suffered by small stores and supermarkets that have invested in upgrades, any changes to which he agrees should ensure independent policing of what should not be a completely voluntary code.

The Minister proposes that, to operate a wine licence, people should go to a District Court as opposed to the Revenue Commissioners. Anything that increases the difficulty level would be good. Those who apply for licences recognise that it is a serious legal matter and that their licences should be treated with respect.

I cannot but support the proposed changes in terms of opening hours and the availability of alcohol, namely, 10.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 12.30 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.

Recently, I spoke to a local garda regarding the sale of alcohol to under-aged people. The garda expressed the view it was not believable the relevant provisions would affect young people who drink under bushes or behind trees because they get their drink earlier in the evenings. However, it will discourage binge drinking.

Regarding on-licences, I welcome the provisions in respect of nightclub opening hours and the important obligation to possess CCTV systems. Cork held a good debate recently following late night public disorder issues. A committee, Cork Cares, was established wherein representatives of nightclubs, bars, the Garda, taxis and fast food outlets tried to develop an arrangement for working together so that, for example, all nightclubs would not spill their patrons onto the streets simultaneously, taxis would be available and fast food outlets would have a direct line to the Garda in the event of disorder in their queues. When people gather together and communicate, they can be effective. Recently, an 18th birthday party in a hotel got out of hand and the hotel evacuated 300 young people onto its grounds. The Garda was called immediately and, accompanied by a fleet of taxis, removed the young people in groups of four. As a result of such communication and co-ordination, a situation that could have become messy, to say the least, was dealt with.

I am glad the Minister reviewed the proposal regarding the early morning licensed premises. I have spoken to local gardaí on this issue and they do not find that many public order offences occur at such premises. Many have spoken to the proprietors of these businesses who advise that one of the mainstays of their business is the provision of breakfast and other food for people on finishing shift work. As is the case for many licensed premises, the provision of food is one of the mainstays of their business.

I would have liked the age at which alcohol can be sold in off-licences to have been raised to 21; that would have been a positive step. We have a serious problem of alcohol consumption. I do not want to degrade those running off-licences, but I am concerned that some proprietors do not provide any training for their staff. I have confidence in that respect in regard to licensed premises; their proprietors are serious about retaining their licence which is extremely important to them, and they are concerned to ensure that they do not serve alcohol to those who are under age. That is my experience and that change has come about in recent years. I have a concern in that respect about off-licence premises. The training of staff therein is minimal. The mandatory training of staff who sell alcohol should be required.

I would prefer the law to provide that alcohol could not be sold to people under the age of 21. It is difficult for the gardaí to track down the sale of alcohol to those who are under age. Those who are over the age of 18 often buy alcohol for a younger brother or younger friends. If the age limit at which alcohol could be purchased was raised to 21, we would be dealing with a more responsible cohort of people and that might eliminate some of the under age drinking which is a major problem.

On the issue of the closure of premises that have been found to sell alcohol to those who are under age, I welcome the changes proposed in terms of increasing the days and times when premises will be shut down. I was alarmed by a newspaper report two years ago about the case involving the sale of a bottle of vodka in a garage premises to a 15 year old girl on the night of the junior certificate results. The judge presiding over the case initially fined the owner of the premises €100 until he was reminded that he had to order that the premises be closed down. He then ordered that this premises be closed from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. That punishment did not fit the crime in this case. Alcohol was sold in that premises to a 15 year old girl and it was obvious there was a junior certificate party — the girl was getting on a bus to go to a disco in a local hotel. All the signs indicated that the girl was under age. This comes back to the issue of the training of staff.

Hopefully, we will deal with the sale of alcohol Bill later this year. Education is an important factor. A joint policing committee was held in Cork recently, which was well attended by members of the Garda Síochána from the various districts, public representatives and community representatives. The focus of the meeting was on under age drinking and public disorder. The chief superintendent, in his opening statement, said that he viewed policing as a very small part of what was required to deal with our alcohol problem. Most of us would turn to policing to solve the alcohol problem, but it is a problem that is inherent in society. Education is important in addressing this problem, particularly the education of parents to ensure they are informed about the products for sale and what their children can get up to. I attended a meeting organised by the local drugs task force last year and was alarmed when someone showed us Jaffa Cakes and jelly beans soaked in vodka. Parents need to be aware of these products. Children are not innocent. If parents approached this issue with such awareness, they would be more in tune with what their children can get up to. It is important to heighten the awareness of this problem among parents and to do so on a regular basis because each year there is a new crop of 13 to 15 year olds. Parents cannot hear enough about the dangers in this area

I welcome the Bill. I look forward to learning the details of what the Minister proposes in the voluntary code and the change in the structures within supermarkets. They are important and we will hear about them during the Committee Stage debate. When we discuss the sale of alcohol Bill towards the end of the year, I would like more radical changes included in it to ensure we send out a strong message that this country is in trouble and that we need to tackle our alcohol problem in a more serious manner.

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