Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to ask for a debate with the Minister for Education regarding the Access programmes rolled out in our schools, and the suitability and vetting of the programmes and the persons running, facilitating and funding them. Schools throughout the country are currently availing of a programme run by Drinkaware. While it has good and useful material on its website, it is a charity funded by the drinks industry. It is going into schools and putting out a programme that is about education on alcohol and alcohol reduction. However, there is no transparency as to the content of that programme. The fact it is going into schools has in the past 24 hours been condemned by the Taoiseach and the HSE, as well as organisations such as the Irish Community Action on Alcohol Network, ICAAN, which is funded by the HSE. ICAAN is headed up by Paula Leonard and provides great supports to drugs and alcohol task forces around the country, and would be well placed to run programmes in schools. There seems to be automatic access. The detail of the programme which has been rolled out has been sought on several occasions and is not being provided. There needs to be transparency about the programmes that are run and the suitability of the organisations which run them and have access to young people.

I am involved with the Dublin 12 drugs and alcohol task force which, along with Canal Communities, put out a video earlier this year and did a research project on the availability of alcohol in various areas. The availability of alcohol has increased by over 100% or 200%. For people who are recovering, a simple walk between where they go to for support and their home may involve passing several outlets selling alcohol. The proliferation in the sale of alcohol is enormous.

It is not appropriate that Drinkaware runs programmes in school without transparency. We had an issue with inappropriate autism sentiments in schoolbooks last year and the books were withdrawn. There does not seem to be any regulation in the Department of Education as to what and who has access to our schools. I would like a debate on that.