Seanad debates
Wednesday, 11 December 2002
Alcohol Consumption by Young People: Statements.
The condition in which one can see young people, particularly girls, in the city centre is frightening. Senator Henry and others referred to the consequences of the state in which these people find themselves and I will not repeat the points they made. Young people have come to me with their parents as a result of incidents in which they were involved in the city centre. I refer here to decent people from respectable homes who have been so intoxicated that they were not responsible for their actions. When the nature of their actions was pointed out to them the following day, these individuals were horrified. We have a responsibility to these young people to protect them from each other and from themselves. We cannot allow a situation develop where, due to a lack of proper supervision and enforcement of the laws of the land, people are allowed ruin the rest of their lives. We must reduce alcohol consumption and control binge drinking.
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