Last week there was a debate in the House after the introduction of the budget. A number of Senators expressed their delight at the increase of 35 cent in the price of alcopops, as if this would have an effect in terms of reducing the problem of alcohol abuse among young people. Nothing could be further from the truth. When one enters into a nightclub, one pays one price for a drink before midnight and another – it rises by €1 or €2 – after midnight. An increase of 35 cent in the price of alcopops will have no effect whatsoever on the consumption of these products by younger people. The Government should seriously examine the issue of banning alcopops completely. As a younger person, I know that many of my friends and I would not check the change we get from the bartender after buying a round of drinks.