Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I think phasing out alcohol sponsorship is one step too far. I totally disagree with it. There is a perception in the House that, when people see an advertisement for alcohol, they will turn into a zombie and go drinking for the evening. There are extremes in every walk of life, but 99% of people I know act responsibly.

Deputy Shortall said sporting organisations will find alternative sponsors. That is easily said. That may be true for big organisations. Local community centres or GAA clubs with an advertising hoarding at the side of their pitch advertising a drinks company might be dependent on that few hundred quid. This proposal is destroying every one of them. Where are they going to get sponsorship? It is no bother to Deputies here, who are all high and mighty with their talk, while thinking about the organisations at the top. I am talking about people at the bottom who are barely surviving. They depend on €300 or €400 to put an advertisement at the side of their pitch. According to this proposal, there will be no advertisements at playing pitches, swimming pools, athletics tracks, dog or horse racing tracks, or motor racing tracks. A man flying around in a car would stop for a while, look at the advert and head to the pub. That is the assumption here and the proposal will stop all of that. This is one step too far.

The Minister must look at the bigger picture and protect local, community, voluntary sporting organisations that need to make a few quid by putting an advertising hoarding at the side of their pitch. They need that money desperately. They will not be able to find it at the flick of a switch. I am involved in plenty of community and voluntary organisations and it is extremely difficult to get sponsorship in rural Ireland. If they lived in rural Ireland, some of the Deputies would understand that and would not be talking the way they are. They are not talking with any level of understanding.

I have no doubt that, at the top level, some organisations might be able to convince insurance companies or something else to advertise and move away from drinks advertisements. I am talking on behalf of the ordinary, community, voluntary people and the ordinary sporting, GAA organisations and other organisations on the ground that totally depend on a few quid that is not going to lead anyone astray. There is a perception here that, if one sees an advertisement, one is heading to the pub for the rest of the evening. That is not the way it works in reality.

The Minister has to make a decision whether he supports this proposal or he supports the community and the GAA clubs.

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