Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. I am glad to have an opportunity to speak on this legislation. I agree with the concept of the Bill and what it attempts to do. I refer to introducing a recognition of the danger of alcohol and to control it to some extend. A few years ago we had numerous examples of violence breaking out outside pubs, nightclubs and in the streets of our towns and cities, sometimes with fatal consequences. Irresponsible use of alcohol led to altercations and sometimes death. There was then and still remains an urgent need for legislation and for a change in attitudes generally to enlighten the general public and young people in particular. I refer to the dangers of the irresponsible use of alcohol, drinking of alcohol and relying on alcohol. In comparison with other European countries we do not come too well out of the league, although many other countries do not come out too well either.

We need to recognise that there will always be exceptions in particular places. I do not think it is true to claim that all of our ills and ailments are down to alcohol. People go into a supermarket and buy a slab or two of beer and have it delivered, by motor vehicle in some cases, to a party being held in a private location, before going out for a night's entertainment. I cannot understand that. It is dangerous and irresponsible. The sale of alcohol in those circumstances below cost has done an awful lot of damage. It has probably created a dependency on alcohol among a certain part of our population. That is worrying.

Another issue we should not let pass is the increased incidence of drinking and private parties. I refer to recognising that is the way things have gone for a variety of reasons. There is no single reason why that has happened. There is, for example, no barman to tell people they have had enough and should go home. There is no barman to control the levels and measures that go into the glass and to call order. There is nobody to control what is happening there at all, other than the appetites of the people concerned.

We have had lots of incidents and instances where alcohol use went wrong throughout the length and breadth of this country over the last number of years. There have been tragic consequences but there have also been very far reaching social consequences. The problem that has arisen is that a part of a generation has become dependent and reliant on alcohol as part and parcel of its daily fix. That is extremely dangerous.

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It can lead to accidents and altercations, as I mentioned, as well as deaths. That has happened, and it cannot continue. Deputy Corcoran Kennedy in particular, as well as others, went to a great deal of trouble researching for this legislation in the first instance, to determine all the things that were wrong and had to be dealt with. The objective was more to reverse the trend than to contain it, and that takes time. There is a recognition that irresponsible advertising in association with various sports is not useful. It does not lead to the responsible use of alcohol. There is also a growing awareness within the industry as well. The Drinkaware Ireland organisation is a classic example. The industry recognises that there must be some type of order in the way alcohol is consumed, how people are educated on its use and how warning signs must be taken on board.

Other speakers have referred to the use of alcohol and other drugs. It is often the case that more than one substance is used at the same time. This leads to dysfunctionality and the result is a serious problem for society. Over the years all Members of the House have regularly dealt with cases where people have become reliant on drugs, including alcohol, to such an extent as to make their lives miserable. Occasionally we have had to advise people to seek treatment for their own benefit and the benefit of their families. There is an urgent need for people in such circumstances, for the sake of the stabilisation of family homes and peace within families, to seek medical aid and counselling to deal with it. Some people can drink with moderation. They know they cannot abuse it and that the body cannot withstand it. Others do not, unfortunately. Some people do not recognise the point beyond which there is no return. There is medical advice on the indiscriminate consumption of any substance. We all know that if we do not take account of the advice there will be consequences.

That does not mean everybody who takes a drink will automatically become an alcoholic or will carry out some depredation such as break into a premises to feed the habit. That does not happen, and it should not happen that way. The Drinkaware organisation has been important in making sure that people realise it is a dangerous route to take. Recognition should be given to the work done by Drinkaware Ireland and other groups that have, from the inside as it were, helped to control the indiscriminate consumption of alcohol and have brought it home to consumers that they must take account of certain situations for the sake of their own health and benefit and the health of their families. Given the situation we have now, it is a good time to do so.

We are in the international arena. The legislation controls all drink imported into the country as well. Other speakers have referred to the fact that the drinks industry employs many people here. That is correct. However, I do not believe that the responsible use of a product necessarily means that we will stop its use. Responsible use of the product can mean that everybody's requirements are met in so far as possible. There might be a clash over advertising, as we saw with the tobacco business. I used to be a smoker. I did not give up smoking for health reasons. I just gave it up; there was no reason for it.

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