Sir, - Congratulations to RTE's Primetime for its programme on alcohol abuse in Ireland. According to the programme, Ireland has the second highest consumption of alcohol in the world and is on the way to topping the table. The drinks industry (both publicans and producers) has to take a significant responsibility for this state of affairs.
Dublin is awash with what can only be described as "bucket-shop" pubs and the drinks industry uses its "spend" to steer the volatile young drinkers "market" towards its products. The "'spend" in question is used to bombard television viewers with ads of stunning inanity. Young drinkers are portrayed as hip and cool and in one commercial all they do is laugh their cool heads off.
The reality is very different: every night of the week overworked hospital casualty staff have to deal with drunk people who are a danger to themselves and others. Every week dozens are hospitalised because of vicious drink-related thuggery. Pub opening hours were actually extended by the Minister in question during the time when the issue of drink-related assault was highlighted.
Vital services are being denied to the community as a whole because of successive governments' lack of action in relation to serious alcohol abuse in this country. The alcohol industry in Ireland has always painted itself as a respectable business. It is not; it is a dirty industry that has contributed to large-scale misery in this country for decades.
It might be argued that people have a choice not to take a drink. That is true but when the massive advertising "spend" of this industry is taken into account, it is clear that this investment is paying off; more alcohol than ever is being consumed. - Yours, etc.,
Dr John Murphy, School of Computer Applications, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.