John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate him on bringing forward this legislation, an initiative which I consider both urgent and timely. I am pleased the Bill is being introduced in the Seanad, since we have had several debates on the issue in recent months, in particular one on the serious concerns raised regarding the abuse of alcohol by young people. I welcome the Bill's measures as timely and necessary. If we are to be serious in combating the effects of alcohol abuse in this country, we must introduce legislation that is not just token in its approach but serious in its content. I congratulate the Minister on the Bill's scope, which shows his determination to tackle this worrying abuse in today's society. Reading the explanatory memorandum and examining the Bill's contents, I am tempted to observe that it does everything that it says on the tin.

To put in context what we are debating today, I remind the House of the statistics placed before us by international studies of alcohol consumption in this country. I referred to them in a previous debate, but it is timely that we once again focus our minds on them. As a nation, we are now drinking more than almost all our EU colleagues. In the last six years, the consumption of spirits alone has increased by over 50%, while there has been a staggering increase of nearly 100% in cider consumption. Between 1989 and 1999, per capita alcohol consumption increased by a massive 41%.

Those statistics are even more staggering when we compare them with our EU neighbours. Nine of the other EU member states have shown a decrease in alcohol consumption over the same period, while three countries showed a modest increase of just 5%. If we look back in ten years to view the present figures and see that they are not the height of the curve, we are in danger of a very serious problem. Binge drinking among young people has also been highlighted in international studies, particularly among people of 15 and 16. That is also an area of serious concern.

I note that the Bill precedes another, much more comprehensive Bill now being prepared. The Minister intends it to reform and codify the entire liquor licensing laws of Ireland. While the major Bill now in preparation will in due course require lengthy debate, I hope that this Bill will be speedily enacted. Wisely, the Minister has sought to deal with a limited number of well-defined objectives which require immediate attention. Measures include the updating of provisions and penalties first fixed in 1872, amending and fine-tuning legislation of a more recent vintage, and innovative measures appropriate to modern social conditions.