Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have raised the issue of alcohol abuse in society and, in particular, the public health (alcohol) Bill with the Taoiseach many times. There are good things in this Bill. Let me say that and also that we welcome these. However, on the issue of drinks sponsorship of sporting events, the Bill will fail miserably. This is despite the fact that this is one of the issues it is supposed to tackle.

I have a whole pile of statistics from reputable agencies but I do not have the time to go through them in this House today. Professor Joe Barry puts it best when he states that, simply put, alcohol sponsorship of sports works in terms of increasing sales and alcohol consumption and that, if it did not, the alcohol industry would not be spending so much money on it. It is also scientifically proven that teenagers and young people are most at risk through this promotion and the alliance between some of the drinks companies and sporting events.

To keep this short, the Minister, when he was putting forward his Bill, stated that the sporting organisations need the €30 million which such deals bring in. It appears to me that this is the nub of the Government's acquiescence on this issue. I appeal to the Taoiseach. It is not too late. Only the heads of the Bill have been published. The Government can still rescue this by listening to the public and, in particular, the experts and by doing the right thing, which is to ban alcohol sponsorship of sporting events. Will the Taoiseach consider this and amend the Bill accordingly?

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