Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment and I look forward to working with him over the coming years. We had the opportunity to speak on alcohol-related issues last week during the debate on the intoxicating liquor legislation. I wish to reiterate some of the points that were made.

I commend the strategic task force on alcohol. It has made great progress in recent years and in this report has made a number of tangible recommendations which we should embrace and seek to implement at the earliest opportunity. This nation and consecutive Administrations, regardless of party composition, have failed miserably in tackling this issue over the years. Successive Administrations might have believed they were doing their best to deal with the issues but they have consistently tried to deal with the symptoms rather than the bigger issue, which is culture. I am glad there are strategic task forces on alcohol to facilitate us examining the issues until we get to the root causes of the culture and seek ways to reverse the desperate things it does to society.

With regard to dealing with the symptoms, we persist in looking at opening times, closing times and accessibility to alcohol. While the task force recommendations include reducing accessibility to alcohol, I am unsure if this is the correct way to proceed. One tends to want what one cannot have. The report contains comparisons to the Continent where alcohol is consumed more slowly, in smaller quantities and generally with a meal. We aspire to that but I do not believe our culture is ready for it. In our culture drink is to be hidden away and children are not to be let anywhere near it. It should be made less accessible. I am concerned about that because I fear it could increase the mystique associated with alcohol and, therefore, enhance its attraction for young people who will want to try it at an early age. We are aware of the damaging effects in that regard.

Changes to licensing laws to create a café culture is another instance of looking at the continental model. That model would be fantastic but I do not believe Ireland is ready for it. In fact, we might abuse it. A total of 14,000 licences in the country is more than enough. If we want to tweak the system while keeping accessibility to a reasonable limit, we should encourage those licensees to carry out their business in a different way, perhaps, and try to lead it towards a café type culture.

With regard to a national identification card, in my maiden speech in the House I called for the introduction of such a card. It should be introduced as soon as possible. There would be many other benefits associated with it, not least in terms of age and identification checks when entering licensed premises. It should be the same as the system in the United States where the checks are random. Whether one is 60 or 16 years of age, one can be asked on a random basis for identification. That reduces any embarrassment or stigma attached to being asked for identification, regardless of one's age.

An interesting suggestion which should be considered is the introduction of legislation to dictate the potency of alcoholic beverages in this country, whereby they need not necessarily be 4% or 5% pure alcohol. There might be merit in considering a basic maximum. The alcohol content of beers is 5% and 6%, while it is 12% for wine and up to 40% for brandy. Perhaps we have alcoholic beverages on the market that are much too potent. It would be innovative at least to look at this area.

With regard to dealing with the culture for young people, it must begin with education. There are many beneficial schemes in place to educate young people about the harmful effects of alcohol. However, what is needed is an aggressive advertising campaign which would demonstrate the sheer chaos endemic in society at present. It could show the utter destruction it causes to families, the hopelessness of young people who have been subjected to or fallen into the trap of alcohol abuse and the desolation it brings to families and the tragic consequences. The "Prime Time" programme on this subject and on the hidden Ireland left parents bewildered, young people embarrassed and the drinks industry exposed. It is a sorry saga.

The highest level of binge drinking in Europe is among young people in Ireland. It was mentioned earlier that one in four people attending accident and emergency departments throughout the country do so as a result of alcohol. I believe the number is higher. The cost of dealing with alcohol related illness is €2.4 billion per annum. What would that money do for the schools building programme, for example, or in providing more sports facilities for young people?

There is an onus on everybody, particularly parents, to offer alternative night life activities to children, whether that is through sporting organisations or otherwise, and to glamorise them so young people will want to go to them. These should not be about alcohol and getting drunk. Parents need to incentivise children along this route. They need to de-glamorise alcohol while glamorising what is alcohol free. There should be an onus on movie producers, entertainment celebrities, actors and so forth in this regard. In films we watch fictional characters who are healthy, athletic, good looking, courageous and talented, yet they are addicted to alcohol or nicotine. That is not possible in the real world but these are the characters that are displayed. I am grateful for the opportunity to make those points.