Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach said he does not accept my assertion. Does he accept that the Government's steering group on national substance misuse in September 2012 found that a quarter of Irish adults binge drink every week and that the average Irish person drinks the equivalent of 482 pints of lager, 125 bottles of wine or 45 bottles of vodka every year? Does he accept that 1.5 million Irish adults are drinking in a way that is harmful to their health, that over 50% of 16 year olds have been drunk and that one in five 16 year olds drink on a regular weekly basis?

It is extraordinary that the Taoiseach does not see the correlation. The most lucrative, targeted and effective form of advertising is to link a product to sport. Sport is sexy and the vast majority of people, particularly young people, are interested in sport. That is the reason the alcohol companies sponsor these major sporting events. It is the reason that Benson & Hedges sponsored cricket, Embassy sponsored darts, Winston and Camel sponsored the FIFA World Cup, Silk Cut sponsored the rugby league and Regal and Winfield also sponsored rugby. It is the reason that motor sports were sponsored by Imperial Tobacco, Rizla and so forth. In this State, Carrolls, Benson & Hedges and all the familiar cigarette companies sponsored almost all of the major sporting events until the ban was introduced and the sponsorship was phased out. There was no difficulty finding alternative sources of sponsorship funding. I have no doubt that the many foreign companies investing in Ireland, such as Google and the technology companies, would love the opportunity to be associated with major sporting events in this country. I cannot understand why the Government, which made such strong noises about this subject earlier in its terms, has caved to vested interests.

The gap is €20 million. That is the sum for alcohol sponsorship in this State in a range of sports. Why can the Taoiseach not see beyond the short term? Why will he not agree at least to phasing this in? I do not understand it; it is illogical. It worked with tobacco and is effective. Along with other measures, it is reducing the number of young people who are taking up smoking. As somebody who was formerly quite a heavy smoker, I consider that an extremely positive step.

The problem is that we have a huge number of mental health issues and an unacceptable level of suicides, which is directly linked to alcohol consumption in many cases and particularly in respect of young men. However, the Government is burying its head in the sand. It appears to be unconcerned about trying to address it.

Finally, does the Taoiseach agree with his fellow county man and former GAA president, Dr. Mick Loftus? He said: "As a doctor and former coroner, I know first hand the damage alcohol does. Eighty-eight people a month die in this country due to alcohol related reasons. If that number of people were dying any other way they would be taking all sorts of action to try and stop it, but instead they are promoting it." That is the stark reality. I urge the Taoiseach to listen to the expert medical advice of his fellow county man, who also happens to be a very prominent figure in sporting circles and especially in the GAA.

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