A former president of the Irish Medical Organisation and member of the Government's Strategic Task Force on Alcohol has strongly criticised Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society (MEAS), a lobby group funded by the drinks industry.
Giving the annual medical organisation's Doolin Memorial Lecture, Dr Joe Barry, senior lecturer in public health at Trinity College Dublin, said MEAS was "disingenuous and hypocritical". The group was wholly funded by the drinks industry "which is there to make a profit" and that it "puts itself out as responsible despite the inherent conflict of being backed by an industry which aims to increase alcohol sales".
Pointing out that MEAS had sufficient "clout" to get the leaders of all the political parties to pose for a picture last week, Dr Barry said: "I believe what MEAS is about is to avoid effective interventions and to push the easy side of responsible drinking. It has a bottom line that is different to those of us concerned about public health."
Dr Barry said MEAS might more appropriately stand for "Minimising Effective Action by the State".
Ms Fionnuala Sheehan, chief executive of MEAS, told The Irish Times yesterday she totally rejected this characterisation as "a prejudiced view". She said it was not supported by the activities of MEAS, which included support for responsible advertising, a code of practice for labelling products and membership of the strategic task force on alcohol.
"MEAS can work in all areas and play a role alongside others. I do not see social responsibility and commercial success as irreconcilable. In fact, the absence of social responsibility will have a negative commercial impact."
MEAS was established in 2002 by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland. Ms Sheehan declined to say how much was contributed to MEAS by the various drinks companies.