Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

Alcohol and cigarettes, which are the softest drugs, are gateway drugs. We cannot and should not pander to any liberalisation of the laws relating to habit-forming and addictive substances. I say that with conviction and emphasis as someone who spent five years chairing a committee that was very involved in studying this matter. I no longer have that responsibility, now that I am a Member of the Upper House, but I hope more good work can be done in this regard at committee level as soon as the new structures are up and running.

As Chairman of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I travelled to a drugs conference in Sweden which was opened by the queen of that country. It was a small conference, with just one delegate from each country in Europe. When I decided to attend the conference to listen and learn, I was under the impression that Ireland did not have the big drug problem experienced by other European countries. I was surprised to be rounded upon bluntly by the opening speaker at the conference, who asked me what Ireland was doing about its substantial drugs problem. I fell back in my chair, having been quite relaxed before that, when I realised I was the focus of the meeting. People were interested in Ireland because they felt it had a problem with the drug of alcohol. When discussions take place about national drugs strategies in many other countries, no distinction is drawn at the top level between alcohol and other drugs. Perhaps there is a distinction at the second level. Alcohol is seen as relevant to drugs strategies in such countries because it is the drug of choice there. There is no doubt that it is the drug of choice in Ireland.

I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey, to investigate the possibility of including alcohol in any future national substance misuse strategy. I refer to the title used by the joint committee in July 2006 when it was dealing with consultants. The committee asked the consultants to study the debate about including alcohol in the national drugs strategy. The name of the strategy had changed slightly by the time the joint committee made its final recommendations. I do not have time to outline in detail the debate that took place at that time. We were aware in 2004 that alcoholic disorders accounted for 14% of all mental health admissions. At least 25% of those admitted to accident and emergency departments have alcohol related problems. It has been suggested by the general hospitals that 30% of males and 8% of females have an underlying alcohol problem. We are familiar with the problems associated with foetal alcohol syndrome.

While I welcome the decision that has been made to place health warnings on alcoholic products, I am not sure it will be effective. I was a member of the Joint Committee on Health and Children when it examined the tobacco industry. I am not convinced that the substantial advertising levels of the tobacco and alcohol industries can be counteracted by notices stating that such products can damage one's health, even if such notices are welcome. Perhaps other measures would be more effective. I would like alcohol advertising before 9 p.m to be banned. I welcome the decision to introduce mandatory breath testing of drivers involved in accidents whichresult in fatalities. Many other things could be done.

I would like to explain why we want alcohol to be included in any future national substance misuse strategy. There is a framework — that is why the national drugs strategy is in place. We will increase our chances of reducing the supply of drugs and rehabilitating drug addicts if we assign responsibility for this issue to one lead Minister and one lead Department. I understand why this step was not taken in the past, when alcohol and drugs were used separately. They are now being used as one and the same thing, however, which is causing mayhem in our communities. Perhaps this is a matter for the debate on the increase in crime, which will take place in the House at5 p.m.