John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Bill, which attempts to address a major problem in society that is at crisis point throughout the length and breadth of the country. I also see the Bill as an opportunity. In recent months, I have spoken to young people — I am a parent myself — as well as gardaí, publicans and off-licence holders. All of them recognise there is a problem. In life, I have found that when people can be made to recognise there is a problem, they can at least concentrate on the solution. This Bill is part of that solution, but only a part, and a start rather than an end in itself.

I have spoken with young people who have got into trouble. They sometimes say they have nothing else to do or nowhere to go and so on. As noted by several speakers today, we must consider the wider issues involved. As Deputy O'Shea said, no off-licence holder wants somebody outside making money by buying drink for young people and no publican, or at least very few, wants to serve drink to underage people. There is an opportunity which everybody needs to grasp by working together.

I was glad to hear the Minister's point on the advertising codes which will be introduced, which is related to the issue of sponsorship. As one who has been involved in a sporting organisation for many years, the GAA, which has benefited from sponsorship and funding from the drinks companies, I feel the time has arrived for sporting and voluntary organisations to consider this issue. I accept there is a difficulty and that this will entail major consultation as to how the funding these organisations receive can be replaced. This has to happen right across the board. Over the years, the GAA has been highlighted more than any other organisation, despite the fact it is appointing or will eventually appoint a substance abuse officer in each club throughout the country. Everybody realises there is a problem but we need to work together.

In that spirit, it is in everybody's interest — publicans, off-licence holders, members of the public, gardaí and drinks companies — that this issue is tackled once and for all. It is important that people can socialise in a responsible manner and that everybody can walk the streets without fear of being attacked while still allowing the drinks retailers to provide a service and earn a living.

There is little need to produce arguments to convince public opinion that something needs to be done to address the problems caused by the abuse of alcohol in our cities, towns and villages throughout the country. One has only to walk the streets of our towns and cities on any weekend night to witness the problems the abuse of alcohol is causing in society — broken bottles and glasses, threatening behaviour, graffiti on walls, fights and rowdyism is the picture with which we are presented. We wake up on weekend mornings to listen to the latest news bulletins detailing the deaths, stabbings and violence that have taken place as a direct result of alcohol abuse.

In this regard, it was noted earlier that much of this violence takes place at house parties and so on. Publicans will obviously suggest that in the controlled environment of the local pub, when somebody had too much drink taken, that person would not be served and could be brought home. The publicans bemoan the passing of that time.

The evidence is also provided in many reports. Dr. Anne Hope in her recent study for the HSE gave an overview of more than 30 recent studies relating to alcohol consumption. Among its many graphic facts, the study stated that 46% of those who committed murders were intoxicated, a third of fatal accidents were caused by alcohol and 28% of all injury attendances in accident and emergency departments in acute hospitals were alcohol-related. The report also confirmed that chronic alcohol conditions had increased among young adults and more women than ever before are now affected by the abuse of alcohol. The suggestion that the number of new alcohol-related cancers would more than double for females and increase by 81% for males before 2020 is frightening, as is the finding that alcohol affects an adolescent brain differently from an adult brain and that damage from alcohol use during adolescence could be long-term and irreversible.

The reasons to tackle alcohol abuse and underage drinking are many but the above data alone make a compelling argument in regard to people's health and lifespan. A solution would free many beds in our hospitals and accident and emergency units. The Bill is seen as an attempt to address some of the problems associated with the misuse of alcohol and in that context it is to be welcomed. All sides agree there is a problem but getting everybody to agree to the correct solutions is a much more complex issue.

We must remember that the vast majority of publicans, off-licence holders and retailers are responsible people and see the need for correct procedures and laws with regard to the sale of alcohol. They also deserve due consideration in this legislation so they can continue to earn a living and continue to give employment. The local publican, we should note, is suffering because of modern trends and there has been a massive increase in drinking at home and at house parties. The pub is being used less for a social drink. This is to be regretted because it was always mostly a safe haven and controlled environment where the publican was responsible and refused to serve if someone had too much to drink. This will not happen in the other settings we have discussed.

Section 8 provides for the separation of alcohol products in premises that are engaged in mixed trading. This constraint had not been fully thought through and its full implementation for the small rural village or town off-licence holder would mean closure of that outlet because the return would not justify retaining it. It would cost tens of thousands of euro to make the structural changes and provide the extra staffing levels. Even if these changes went ahead, it is my belief, having spoken to many of those involved, that it would do nothing to reduce alcohol abuse because in many ways these small convenience stores are not the problem. By and large, they know their customers and therefore there is less chance of their abusing the system. The real problem exists in the large multinational stores where one can fill trolleys off the shelves with all kinds of drinks being sold at below cost prices without any checks or scrutiny.

I welcome the fact the Minister has held discussions with the supermarket and convenience store owners with a view to putting into effect a voluntary code of practice as an alternative to implementation of section 8. This, of course, would have to be seen to work and be independently verified. I am glad the trading bodies recognise there is a problem and are willing to play their part in resolving it.

I also notice the Minister proposes amendments to the Bill which would not require wine to be segregated, allowing the customer to browse before purchasing. This seems reasonable because if all other voluntary safeguards are in place, there should not be any problem with abuse in regard to wine.

Some of the biggest problems associated with alcohol abuse in our society are caused by underage drinking, below cost selling and secondary purchasing. All three, of course, are linked and can only be tackled if there is a unified approach by all the affected parties — retailers, gardaí and, of course, parents. There must be stringent application of an identification card system that is seen to work. For instance, some of the identification cards used at present can easily be forged, especially when they are not strictly monitored. Any card that is misused should be withdrawn and its misuse treated as a serious offence. A properly operated identification system would be a major step forward in stamping out under age drinking and reducing trouble on our streets.

Parents have an enormous responsibility in this area. They must have greater awareness of where their children are at critical times of the day. Amounts of pocket money must be monitored and supervision and a presence in the home is crucial at certain times. In this context, the fact that there will be less money available to be spent on alcohol in a time of recession is no bad thing for the health of all concerned. This is one of the few benefits of the economic problems we have at the moment.

It is quite striking that when on holidays in France or Italy, one sees young people socialising together, sometimes even enjoying a glass of wine, without the slightest hint of rowdiness or threatening behaviour. The drink culture in Ireland has been widely discussed and we must examine the culture in other countries to determine why it does not seem to lead to the problems we experience. We must ask why some of our young people feel it is a fun thing to get off their heads on alcohol, with little thought for the consequences. We must also determine why the behaviour of our young people differs from that of their counterparts in mainland Europe.

With regard to young people and the image of them that is portrayed by abuse of alcohol and the anti-social behaviour and violence that goes along with it, we sometimes forget that there are thousands of young people who can socialise and enjoy themselves without getting into trouble or causing annoyance to anyone. The pity is that their activities never make the headlines. We are not interested in good news. I have seen at first-hand, for instance, the fantastic work done by No Name clubs. The club in my area of Claremorris has more than 200 members, who engage in many activities every week in a drink-free environment. A few months ago I attended the national gathering of the No Name clubs in Castlebar where more than 1,000 young people spent the weekend involved in various events and competitions, all driven and led by themselves, in a wonderful carefree atmosphere where alcohol was not a factor. The event was held in a hotel where drink was readily available in bars. I could not believe the atmosphere and the fun the young people were having. They had a fantastic time. For the young people involved in such clubs there are huge benefits by way of increased confidence, self esteem and empowerment. Unfortunately, such an event merits very little media coverage locally or nationally. One needs to have broken glass and drunken brawls outside nightclubs to make the headlines.

On the night I attended the No Name event I walked down the street and less than 500 metres away I came across a group of four or five drunken youths, one of whom was collapsed on the footpath. The images on the streets of the drunken behaviour is what makes the news in the following weeks' newspapers but the question we must ask is which group of young people enjoyed themselves the most. The answer is very obvious.

Having worked with young people for many years as a teacher and in voluntary organisations, I have always believed in a carrot and stick approach. Many of the provisions of this Bill are welcome and necessary. Rules, regulations and laws need to be strengthened in many areas, but there is also the need to use a carrot approach towards people and organisations who are steering our young people in the right direction. Organisations like the No Name clubs, Foróige and all the sporting organisations need support, encouragement and resources to be able to provide the facilities and opportunities for our young people to develop and enjoy life to the full in a carefree and safe environment. In some small towns and villages, sports and recreational facilities are located in schools or clubs and cannot be used at night because money is not available to pay a caretaker. In some cases, the amounts of money needed are small. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, has done great work in supporting rural communities. However, support must be given on a broader scale because, in the long run, it will save money.

Garda juvenile diversion programmes are doing wonderful work in keeping young people out of the courts. I raise this issue against the background of figures released recently showing that the number of children involved in crime has jumped by 20% in just two years, with alcohol related offences the main cause of the increase. The aim of the Garda juvenile diversion programmes, funded by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is to divert children from offending behaviour and keep them out of the courts. Young people who get into trouble are given a second chance if they buy into corrective measures by agreeing to apologise to or compensate a victim and by getting involved in recreational activities. The positive results of this scheme for the small investment involved are startling. Approximately 87% of young people dealt with reached their 18th birthday before going to court and 75% of those going through this system avoided the courts up to the age of 25. I had first-hand experience of the work going on in this area in my constituency where there are two youth diversion schemes, one in Ballina and the other in Castlebar. Considering that most of the young people helped under these schemes avoid going to prison, the amount of money saved by the State is considerable. It is estimated to cost more than €100,000 per annum to keep a person in prison. That money would fund a youth diversion scheme for 70 or 80 youngsters. I call on the Minister to expand the youth diversion scheme. At the moment there are only 100 juvenile liaison officers nationwide but there should be one officer in every Garda district in the country. It would reduce the numbers of young people going to prison. The benefits would be enormous for vulnerable young people in helping them to cope with the pressures of modern life without falling off the cliff and ending up in jail. There would also be considerable savings to the State. The traffic corps have quite rightly been well-resourced to deal with road traffic issues but attention must also be given to the youth diversion programmes and adequate resources must be put in place to support them. It would be money very well spent.

I welcome the measures in this Bill that will help to tackle problems caused by the abuse of alcohol in a structured and even handed way, without closing down all retail outlets. Other countries have done it successfully and there is no reason we cannot do it too. This Bill on its own will not solve everything to do with alcohol abuse. It is merely one piece of a jigsaw of measures that must be implemented by the Government to support parents and volunteers working with young people to provide alternatives to the drink culture that is enveloping our country. The Bill must be seen as a start rather than an end. There is much more work to be done.

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