Youth groups welcome plan to tackle under-age drinking

GOVERNMENT PLANS to combat under-age drinking are a good start but a lot more needs to be done to end Ireland's alcohol culture, a leading youth organisation said last night.

Youth Work Ireland said it welcomed the launch of the Alcohol Advisory Report, and said that, while belated, it did signal that the message on alcohol was finally getting through.

Michael McLoughlin of Youth Work Ireland said action on availability of alcohol can have a major impact on consumption throughout society. "This will impact on the health of young people by delaying the start of drinking."

He called on the development of a greater budget for the youth-work sector which "has the ability to provide quality, alcohol-free facilities" for young people.

The National Youth Council of Ireland welcomed the measures outlined by Mr Lenihan yesterday.

"This Bill is long overdue, and is essential legislation that will begin to tackle the problem of alcohol misuse in Irish society. We support the new measures, specifically the reduction of off-licence opening hours," said Mary Cunningham, director of the National Youth Council of Ireland.

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) said recognising that alcohol was not an ordinary product should facilitate public health and public order legislation.

Former IMO president Prof Joe Barry said: "We have reached a 'tipping point' in Ireland with regard to health and social harms caused by alcohol. The determination of Minister Lenihan and his Government colleagues to address this serious public order and public health problem is very much to be welcomed."