President Mary McAleese is to gather young people from a range of backgrounds for a special forum in Áras an Úachtaráin next week to hear their views on the impact of alcohol on their lives.
The initiative, which will take place on Thursday, follows rising concern over the level of binge-drinking among teenagers which is among the highest in Europe.
A spokesman for Mrs McAleese confirmed to The Irish Times yesterday that she would facilitate a forum of young people for an open-ended discussion on alcohol-related issues.
The President referred to listening to and addressing the needs of young people in her inauguration speech last November.
The forum follows a similar initiative earlier this year at which experts on suicide and community groups were invited to participate at a special gathering at Áras an Úachtaráin aimed at addressing the rising number of people taking their own lives each year.
Among the groups of young people who will take part in the forum will be students from Moyne Community School, Co Longford, who won an award at the Young Social Innovators competition earlier this year on tackling alcohol misuse.
The students will make a presentation at the forum on ways of tackling alcohol abuse, which includes a model for an alternative youth centre which could be replicated across the State.
Members of Dáil na nÓg, a young persons parliament, will also participate in the forum.
The issue of alcohol has been at the top of this group's agenda for the last three years. It has previously passed resolutions such as raising the age for the purchase of alcohol in off-licences to 21.
Other groups due to participate include young members of a forum attached to the National Children's Office, the Union of Secondary Students and Scouting Ireland.
Mrs McAleese is expected to address the gathering, after which a discussion on issues relating to alcohol will be facilitated by Fr Peter McVerry, a campaigner for young people at risk.
The nature of the discussion and recommendations, if any, will be determined by young people themselves, a spokesman for the President said.
Underage Irish girls have the highest binge-drinking rate in Europe and underage boys the fourth-highest. A number of Government attempts to address abuse of alcohol have been made in recent years with little success, according to experts.
