Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

A recent report identified Irish teenagers, as a group, as having the highest intake of alcohol across the European Union. We have debated this matter previously and attempted to come up with solutions. It is frightening to think that teenagers are drinking to this sort of excess. The Garda, parents of teenagers and health service providers will spend Christmas worrying about this alarming problem. There are, however, solutions to it. I have raised a possible solution in this House of which the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, is aware. The North West Alcohol Forum is ready to be piloted and to come up with proactive solutions to under age drinking. This body is made up of many State agencies and service providers. Its key element is that it has representatives from the Donegal Youth Council, made up of 16 to 24 year olds, who will decide themselves how to move forward. Will the Government fund the North West Alcohol Forum's five year pilot scheme? It offers a proactive solution to the problem of under age drinking. This side of the House has offered solutions to problems for the past 20 years and any time the Government is in trouble, we get the blame.