Rónán Mullen (Independent)

People who indulge in alcohol in this way seem to be revealing some very tragic neurosis in the Irish psyche. Of course, not everybody behaves in this manner, but it is a sad reflection on those who do. While I agree with Senator MacSharry that it is appropriate to listen to young people, I warn against a kind of timidity whereby we would stand back from declaring to the younger generation what it is we expect of them. We must be far more ready to lead by example ourselves and to tell young people what is expected of citizens of this country. Let us listen to younger people by all means, but we must also be clear and focused in our strategies for dealing with this serious problem.