Madam, - Leon Ó Morcháin (December 5th), commenting on the acceptance of Guinness sponsorship for the hurling championship, rightly calls for the GAA to aspire to a higher ideal. Equally dubious sponsorship deals are organised by the IRFU, the FAI, the horse racing industry and media outlets including RTÉ, wrapping major sports events in a veneer of alcohol advertising.
In the same day's Health Supplement, an article by Nicole Matthews "calls time on the nation's drinking". However, the inclusion of the drinks industry's "top tips" for avoiding excess this Christmas has a hollow ring in the context of the the industry's alcoholisation of the Christmas season.
Dr John Crowe, a specialist at the Mater with direct experience of the misery caused by alcoholic damage to the liver, calls for a ban on alcohol advertising and sports sponsorship, and sees no place for the alcohol lobby in shaping a response on our national drink problem.
In his opinion piece on the same page, Gerry Hickey alludes to the effects of peer pressure and the almost pariah status of non-drinkers in Irish society.
If the members of our leglislature opened their eyes to this crisis, acted on the recommendations of the 2004 Strategic Task Force on Alcohol Abuse 2004 and ditched the alcohol lobby, the likes of the GAA would not have to defend the indefensible but could take due credit for its recent initiative in appointing a full-time alcohol and drugs education officer. - Yours, etc,
Dr PASCAL O'DEA,
Medical Centre,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.