Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm labhairt ar an ábhar seo. I acknowledge the contributions made by the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, and Deputy Róisín Shortall to the debate on this report, with the contributions of my fellow committee members.

Alcohol abuse is a massive problem. We all accept this, but do we accept what it means? Unfortunately, the issue is not just that we have large numbers of people addicted to alcohol or who have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol but also that we have a negative and unhealthy drink culture.

This means that, at some point in their lives, the majority of those who drink alcohol in Ireland do so in an unhealthy and even abusive manner. We have accepted that alcohol is part of our society and that it is a socially acceptable drug. We have been responsible in recognising that there is a line between using something and abusing it. We must move forward with a policy which in all circumstances discourages abuse and promotes responsible behaviour and a positive public health culture. The report before the House seeks to do this in a cautious manner and I welcome it. The two major issues which marked the process of its compilation were the idea of minimum pricing and alcohol sponsorship. Minimum pricing is a good idea in principle, but its success would depend on how it was implemented. Likewise, a ban on alcohol sponsorship would be a good idea in principle, but, again, implementation would be key.

I wish to briefly outline Sinn Féin's position on the policies to which I refer and which could represent very good steps on the road towards addressing our unhealthy drink culture. Minimum pricing would adequately address both low level and widespread abuse of alcohol, which is a major problem. It would help to re-engineer the way we approach drinking and reduce the quantities of alcohol we consume. These quantities are, on the whole, alarming, especially when one considers that a large number of people in Ireland do not drink at all. The problem with some models of minimum pricing is that they act as a money-making operation for the drinks industry which has wilfully engaged in the development of our unhealthy drink culture. Minimum pricing should not cause publicans, off-licence operators or drinks companies to rub their hands in anticipation of greater profits. It should be put in place by means of the introduction of further duties on drink. That would mean that the price of alcohol could not fall below a certain level. The revenue that would accrue could be ring-fenced for community and public health projects that address alcoholism and alcohol abuse and the many problems which spring from them. This measure would address the effects of a problem for which there is no panacea and which will not be solved over night. It would also do something to offset the negative effect minimum pricing could have on the lives of some families who live in poverty. The alcohol abuse of members of such families exacerbates the problem of deprivation. Poverty and inequality are major causes of unhealthy behaviour and substance abuse. We should not shy away from the systemic problems in our horrendously unequal society, particularly as these, in turn, feed the substance abuse problem.

Many people have been very critical of the Government's refusal to impose an outright and immediate ban on alcohol sponsorship of sports events and organisations. I can certainly understand such criticism, but this is a delicate matter and no new system should be put in place lightly. That said, the Government has certainly had sufficient time to consider the possibilities in addressing the funding shortfall to which a ban would give rise. The reality is that sports in Ireland were under-funded in the times of plenty and that continues to be the case. I do not believe there can be any doubt about this at a time when an Olympic gold medalist is obliged to train in a gym which has no female toilets. Teams in the area in which I live were so desperate to obtain improved facilities that they went into massive and unsustainable debt. The Government does not just have a role in deciding who can fund sports projects, it also has a responsibility to do so itself. We are talking about community and public health investment. Investment in sport gives rise to savings in respect of spending on health, policing and even prisons. Sport is an investment in a better society. It helps to build communities and encourages the people who make up these communities. In budget 2014 the allocation for sport was cut by €5.7 million. This was on top of a 6% cut last year and means that the funding available for sport in 2014 will be a mere €68.9 million. The Government has a very real responsibility in getting the funding models for sport right in order that the positive move of banning alcohol sponsorship will not be damaging to the point of being counter-productive. I urge the Government through its new interdepartmental committee to set about devising new funding models for sport as soon as possible and putting in place a real State investment package for sport. The Cabinet would do well to look north, where the Executive is making a real investment in supporting sport as an essential part of the community.

Overall, what is proposed is positive, but it must be done carefully in order to achieve the best results in terms of really tackling alcohol abuse and promoting healthy living. While care must be taken, reform is also needed. The delay in making a move in respect of sponsorship should not be used to kick the can down the road but rather as a space in which to ensure we get the measures right and change things for the better. As previous speakers indicated, the Government has agreed to a ban on the advertising of alcohol after certain times. That is a positive step. It has also agreed to proceed with minimum pricing. As stated, we must be careful in how we proceed in that respect. These are but two steps in an entire series that will be taken.

The CEOs of the three main sports organisations - the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU - came before the joint committee. Apart from being in charge of their organisations, these individuals fully understand the effects of alcohol. They deal with tens of thousands of people and their families on a daily basis. They outlined to the committee the fact that the ending of sponsorship by drinks companies would have a massive effect on their organisations. Much of the funding which emanates from such sponsorship is invested in community projects, etc., within their organisations. How would the shortfall that would result from a ban on sponsorship be made up? That is a major issue. Sports clubs use their local pubs for the purposes of holding raffles and other fund-raising events. The money they make from selling tickets and so on provides many of them with their lifeblood. Some public houses even sponsor team kits and their names appear on players' jerseys. Are we going to bring an end to this type of activity? There is a need for a debate on this serious issue, particularly as a ban in this regard could have massive repercussions at grassroots level.

I have been involved in sport for many years. A previous speaker referred to karate, a sport in which I have been involved all my life. I also played soccer and the teams with which I was involved used to go to the pub after matches and some players would have a few drinks. However, this was all done in a spirit of camaraderie. It was not the case that people went out and abused alcohol, although I accept that the odd individual might have done so. However, we cannot educate for these individuals. That is the way it is with most sports clubs.

Everyone accepts that in an ideal world sports clubs and organisations would not be obliged to seek sponsorship from alcohol drinks companies. I am a member of the Finglas-Cabra drugs task force and have also been involved with the Ballymun drugs task force, both of which made suggestions in respect of the advertising of alcohol. I do not believe anyone has any doubt about the health implications of drinking alcohol. The joint committee considered this matter from the point of view of health and sport. However, it mainly concentrated on the issue of advertising. As stated, the problem is that there will be major repercussions if funding from advertising is cut. A plan must, therefore, be put in place in order that we might deal with this matter. There were those who suggested people should not be visiting the Guinness factory, etc., or holding events there. Some of the companies involved in the drinks industry have a long history here. They provide a service and are an advertisement for the country. We need to be very careful in how we deal with them.

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