Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the proposal by the Dublin City Business Association (details supplied). [36480/05]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I am extremely aware of the negative effects of harmful drinking in Irish society, which include violence, public order offences, drink driving, under-age drinking, unsafe sexual practice, lost productivity, attendance at accident and emergency units, certain cancers and suicide.

The strategic task force on alcohol was established to recommend evidence based measures to prevent and reduce alcohol related harm and published two reports with more than 100 recommendations. I am hopeful that with the full implementation of these measures we will begin to address the serious problems associated with harmful drinking. I believe a cultural shift in attitudes is required in Ireland to make harmful consumption of alcohol unacceptable.

A working group on alcohol was recently established to help mobilise the stakeholders through social partnership to achieve a targeted and measurable reduction in alcohol misuse. The working group operates in the context of the special initiative on alcohol and drug misuse under Sustaining Progress. The working group comprises the social partners, the relevant Departments, the Garda Síochána, the national drugs strategy team and the Health Service Executive. The working group seeks to agree a programme of actions which can deliver targeted results on underage drinking, binge drinking and drink-driving. It is expected to produce a set of recommendations in late 2005.