John Ellis (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to the House for this important debate. We do not realise the type of social problems being created for our young people and among families by alcohol and drugs abuse.

Senator O'Reilly has pre-empted me in some of his comments but I reiterate that off-licences have become a problem. We know many rural pubs have disappeared and their licences have been sold for off-licences at petrol stations and other premises. This has had a detrimental effect on social life in rural Ireland. As we knew it, the rural pub was a place where many young people learned to drink. If they got out of order, the mammy or daddy knew it before they were home. Locals would try to keep them under control and educate them in how to use alcohol. Education is the first issue we must consider in dealing with alcohol, drugs or cigarettes — they are all drugs and must be treated with contempt perhaps, or the sternness that is needed to deal with such substances.

Another new phenomenon is the rise of drinking in the home. Some people in rural Ireland no longer feel safe going to the pub owing to the drink driving laws, although none of us would suggest leniency for those who drink and drive. However, as people cannot go to the pub, they bring the alcohol to the house. We all know a house measure is about three times a pub measure — we have all had to suffer when a householder offers a glass that contains enough for a night's drinking. Alcohol is now being taken home and a much greater volume is being consumed than if people were in the pub or drinking socially. People feel secure because they do not have to drive home. If they want an extra drink, it does not matter and they hope the effect will have worn off before they drive the next day.

We do not take enough time to consider the issue of young people and alcohol. Many young people feel they have not been out drinking if they do not get stoned. This is a result of a lack of education. There is a need for schools to educate students when they reach transition year — in fact, many are drinking long before they reach transition year. We must accept that if they want to obtain alcohol they will do so, but we must educate them on its use and the dangers it can pose in later life if abused. We have all seen people who have been destroyed by alcohol as well as others who have taken on the challenge, won and moved on with their lives. It all comes down to education. We must show our young people that while it is grand to have two or three pints, they must think hard about the consequences, both for themselves and those around them, if they decide to drink 13 or 14 pints. The big problem is that alcohol is being purchased in off-licences by older people for under age drinkers. That should worry us all. Most towns and villages have an area where young people go to drink alcohol which has been bought for them at the off-licence.

Senator O'Reilly referred to the availability of cheap drink, which is a major problem. In some cases one can buy drink at an off-licence for a third of the price in a bar or disco. That must be tackled. There is a case to be made for preventing under-cost selling of alcohol. Publicans say it is impossible for them to buy alcohol at supermarket prices. Some supermarkets are selling alcohol as loss-leader products and that needs to be addressed. People may say that nothing can be done because we must have competition, but when it causes social problems we have a right to examine the matter.

We can all see the glamorisation of alcohol in advertising sporting or social events. The drink industry's sponsorship of major sporting occasions, with logos appearing everywhere, provides an accepted profile that basically says it is trendy to be involved with drink from such companies. Guinness sponsors the GAA championships, while rugby has the Heineken Cup and other major sporting events also attract alcohol sponsorship. Senator Quinn was right to say that money spent on drink advertising should not be eligible for tax relief. If such relief was dropped the amount spent on promotion by drink companies would be seriously reduced. The percentage of drink industry profit margins that goes back into advertising is phenomenal. While such a change might have a detrimental effect on the advertising industry, we must examine this matter. The drink industry itself must become responsible for the costs borne by the State in treating alcohol-related problems. We have seen the positive effect of the smoking ban and, while it may not have reduced smoking that much, it has raised awareness of the dangers involved.

The biggest scourge is the drugs problem. A combination of drugs and alcohol has become a common cause of death among young people both here and abroad. Drugs are available at every street corner and while people know exactly who is pushing them they do not have the courage to tell the Garda authorities, even anonymously. People think that if it does not affect them it is none of their business. We have a responsibility to persuade people who are drunk not to drive, but a blind eye is being turned to drug abuse. Certain people — and they are not all on the bottom rung of society——