Déirdre de Búrca (Green Party)

I support the call by other Senators for an urgent debate on the report of the alcohol advisory group given the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has announced his intention to bring legislation on alcohol misuse before the Houses of the Oireachtas and to have it enacted by the summer. We need to acquaint ourselves fully with the wide-ranging recommendations of the alcohol advisory group.

Several Senators raised the issue of advertising of alcohol and I echo the points made. In the programme for Government there is a clear commitment to phase out the sponsorship of sporting events by the alcohol industry. A rather softly, softly approach has been adopted to date where we have allowed the drinks industry to draw up voluntary compliance schemes and codes of conduct which are not working. By allowing the widespread advertising of sporting events by the alcohol industry we glamorise the consumption of alcohol and we inextricably link the two in the minds of young people. Most people involved in sporting events are young people and we link the sport and the celebration of sporting success with the consumption of alcohol. This is not good and we must cut that link. When the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform introduces the Bill we should examine this issue and remain mindful of the commitment that is in the programme for Government to end such sponsorship.