Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

What Senator O'Keeffe said is sensible and well worth hearing. I hope much more could be done in schools to address these issues around bullying and how people treat each other. It is a broad and difficult issue but I compliment the work of those who go into schools to promote positive mental health. I am aware of Positive Mental Health in Galway, for example, where students and young people go into schools and lead discussions on positive mental health. That is a very important part of helping young people to grapple with the various challenges they face, including the challenges they face from each other on occasions.

Perhaps a related issue is our ongoing problem of drinking. Will the Leader ascertain what precisely is the Government's attitude to the sponsorship of sports events by drinks companies? We heard from the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Shortall, that the 2016 deadline for phasing out alcohol sponsorship of sports events has been relaxed somewhat. I would like to know what precisely that means. Relaxed by how much and for how long? Do we mean kicked into the long grass? Do we mean permanently sidelined?

For how long are we going to be blasé about the problem of alcohol in our society? We have yet another report talking about shocking levels of alcohol consumption by one third of 18 to 24 year olds who drink the equivalent of four and a half pints of beer-----