The drinks and advertising industries have reacted angrily to an EU Commission-funded report that suggested regulations on the marketing of alcohol in Ireland were ineffective in dissuading young people from drinking.
The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland said the report by the ELSA project had not been properly researched with the industry and was wrong in relation to many aspect of self-regulation of drinks advertising in Ireland.
Drinks Manufacturers Ireland questioned the report's objectivity and said it ignored the unique Irish requirement that all alcohol advertisements had to be pre-approved because they could be used in the media.
It pointed out that complaints against alcohol advertisements had declined to "almost zero" in recent years.
As reported in The Irish Times last week, the ELSA report criticised the system of self-regulation for drinks advertising, and in particular its emphasis on complaints received rather than compliance with regulations.
This system assumes fewer complaints means greater compliance, when the real reason may be a lack of interest by the public.
"As long as alcohol advertising is appealing to young people through humour, animation, bright colours and music, reinforcing the link between drinking and socialisation and being accepted by peers, the codes will be ineffective in terms of reducing the pressure put on young people to drink."
However, the ASAI, which is funded by the advertising industry, said that where an alcohol advertisement was found to be in breach of its code, it
had to be withdrawn. Details of breaches were listed on the ASAI's website.
Rosemary Garth, director of DMI, claimed co-operation between the Irish drinks industry and the Department of Health was a useful example to the rest of Europe.
Alcohol Action Ireland has called for a 9pm watershed for alcohol advertising on television but Ms Garth said such measures were ineffective in controlling ads on UK or foreign channels or internet-based advertising.
She said the report "purported" to be an objective analysis but was undertaken by a Dutch lobby group against alcohol and its country partners included anti-alcohol bodies from across Europe.