Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I support the proposition by Senator Fitzgerald for an urgent debate and, more importantly, urgent action on the alcohol problem in our society. While we correctly focus on the difficulties concerning hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin, this may have distracted us from the fact that the fundamental problem in this country arises from alcohol abuse. It gives rise to so much domestic violence and anti-social behaviour generally. Ultimately, alcohol consumption can lead to harder drugs. A new phenomenon involves below-cost sales of alcohol in supermarkets which prompts drinking at home and in public places. A drinking pattern is developing outside the traditional public house culture and while pubs created their own difficulties, the new phenomenon is different and is causing major problems because the drink is much cheaper and more easily accessed. I ask the Leader to treat this matter as serious, urgent and in need of rapid action.

Senator O'Toole referred to the Health Service Executive removing advertising from a radio station. It would be extraordinarily serious if this type of censorship were to become widespread. Public bodies cannot be allowed to threaten media outlets such that if they do not sing from the same hymn sheet, they will receive no further advertising. We must put a stop to this immediately before it effectively stifles the free press. Senator O'Toole is correct that this is a serious issue.