Seanad debates

Wednesday, 18 June 2003

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Second Stage.

 

Of 15 and 16 year old boys, 66% are current drinkers. Approximately 33% of 15 and 16 year olds binge drink. This is something we did not see ten years ago when the same level of alcohol abuse did not exist among young people. Our hospitals are seeing the results of this, as Members will know from our discussion of the recent "Prime Time" programme which brought the matter home to so many parents who saw what was happening on our streets. The programme showed the extent to which young people will go in terms of the amount of drink they imbibe. In many cases, they end up in accident and emergency rooms. Every night, 25 drink-related assaults occur on our streets. That is a shocking and frightening figure for parents. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform knows the experience of having a child assaulted, as do I. It is horrific to allow one's young child into town at night only to discover later that they have been subject to a drink-related assault.

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