Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I was in possession and reported progress on the last occasion. Amendment No. 29 proposes an amendment to section 41 after subsection (6).

I should point out that a section on alcohol advertising taken from EU directive 89/552 EC is required to be dealt with by codes under section 42 of the Bill. That section provides that broadcast advertisements providing alcoholic beverages shall comply with the following criteria: they shall not be aimed specifically at minors or, in particular, depict minors consuming these beverages; they shall not link the consumption of alcohol to enhanced physical performance or to driving; they shall not create the impression that the consumption of alcohol contributes to work, social or sexual success; they shall not claim that alcohol has therapeutic qualities or that it is a stimulant, a sedative or a means of resolving personal conflicts; they shall not encourage immoderate consumption of alcohol or present abstinence or moderation in a negative light; and they shall not place emphasis on high alcoholic content as being a positive quality of the beverage. That is from Article 15 of the said directive and it is more comprehensive than the amendment. Those are the provisions that are required to be dealt with by codes under section 42. Whereas it could be said that they are more comprehensive than what I have proposed for direct insertion into the Bill under section 41, I have sought to introduce a watershed so that a broadcaster shall not broadcast before 9 p.m. an advertisement promoting alcoholic beverages. There is an argument for the direct incorporation into the Bill of some or all of the broadcasting code set out under the directive I read out. It might be argued that this would be technically superfluous but it would give the issue more prominence.

That leads me to my point of conclusion on the previous occasion. The issue arises as to how serious we are about the consumption of alcohol, especially by younger members of society. Legislation is on the way that will seek in some way to tackle the supply of alcohol. There has been much discussion recently about the growth in the number of off-licences and the number of under age people drinking. Anecdotally, we are all aware of situations where younger people are drinking enormous quantities of alcohol. One wonders about the problems they are storing up for themselves in later life as they acquire a dependency not just on alcohol but on very high quantities of alcohol. That will have implications not just for them personally but for their families and family life and also for the Exchequer and the health service. Those are important considerations.

The question is whether we are content to seek to tackle the supply of alcohol or if we should also seek to change attitudes so that we tackle the demand. That is a more difficult issue because we live in a society where many competing messages are directed at people, especially young people. Despite the fact that we have existing broadcasting codes that try to limit the seductive appeal of alcohol it is none the less a fact that the depiction of alcohol in advertisements on television, for example, is very much associated with social success and people who have attractive personal characteristics. I do not need to rehearse here the concepts of the type of advertisements we see for various alcoholic beverages. The question is whether we can be more regulatory in this area.

Bearing in mind that we are legislating in the public interest and that the Bill has to do, inter alia, with the television channels people receive into their homes by dint of paying the standard fee for the basic television package, I have a caveat to my proposal, namely, that I am aware that the concept of a television watershed is becoming increasingly theoretical in value given the lifestyles people lead, especially young people, given the changing structure of the family and a certain lack of parental oversight that is widely noted. It is fair to say that many young people watch television after 9 p.m., particularly the kind of young people we might have in mind as we discuss alcoholism in society. That said, it is time we made a start.

Senator Norris takes a more radical view on this occasion than I in that he proposes a complete ban on the advertisement of alcoholic beverages. I am inclined to support him. Amendment No. 29 represents a limited strike. I hope it is considered favourably because we have to make a start in terms of controlling the message going out to people, especially young people, about alcohol. We have had discussions and we need to have more discussions about the role of alcohol in the sponsorship of sporting events, especially events that are attractive to young people. I refer specifically to television advertising, as television is a significant part of people's lives. Given the fact that the earlier the advertising on television the greater the likelihood it will reach people who are at a formative stage of their lives, it is necessary at the very least to consider a watershed despite the limitations I have acknowledged on watersheds in the modern context. It is time we made a start and it is on that basis that I make this proposal.

A watershed represents a good start in terms of alcoholic beverages. We must have a philosophical discussion in the House about whether we want to prioritise economic issues and the economic benefits to broadcasters and therefore to refuse the amendment or whether we intend to identify in a principled and clear-headed manner where the interests of young people lie, especially those young people who might be vulnerable to alcoholic excess. It is a question of making a start and of seeking to shape public attitudes, especially of younger people who are at a formative stage. The point of inserting the amendment directly into section 41, as distinct from the incorporation of the codes under the European directive under section 42, is to seek to give the issue the kind of prominence it needs if we are to make serious inroads into the problem of alcohol abuse among young people in society. Go raibh maith agat.