Ban on alcohol ads wanted

ALCOHOL advertising is having a “damaging impact” on young people and should be restricted, a children’s group warned yesterday.

“We want an enforced ban on alcohol advertising aimed at youth audiences,” said Owen Keenan, director of children’s charity Barnardos. “We want to challenge everyone, including the Government, to combat the damaging effect alcohol is having on our society.”

Barnodos’ supports Health Minister Micheál Martin’s plans to introduce tough laws to stop drinks companies from marketing alcohol to young people. The minister also wants to ban below-cost selling of alcohol and to stop drinks companies from sponsoring events aimed at young people.

However, advertisers are concerned about the potential effect on their revenue. Drinks giant Diageo spends up to €40 million on Irish advertising each year promoting brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff and Carling.

“If you restrict alcohol advertising here, you would have a very severe effect on the ad industry,” said John Holohan, information officer with the Institute of Advertising Practitioners (IAPI). “And it wouldn’t stop television ads coming in. If a TV ad conforms to the law in Luxembourg, where Sky broadcasts from, the Government does not have the right to stop it.

“There’s certainly a case for tightening the regulations but an outright ban on alcohol ads will not solve the problem. The industry could be justifiably criticised for its alcopops advertisements and it’s likely there will be a ban on those,” he said.

Drinks industry representatives have agreed to discuss changes with Mr Martin but believe current measures are effective.

“We’ll be sitting down and talking with the minister. But we have already engaged in consultations with him and implemented almost all of his requests,” said chairperson of the Drinks Industry Group and also communications director with Guinness UDV, Pat Barry.

He said it would not make sense to restrict sponsorship of sporting events such as the Guinness Hurling Championship.

However, Mr Martin’s announcement has been warmly welcomed by those campaigning against alcohol abuse. “This has been long overdue but I’m delighted with it. The drinks companies have been dragged kicking and screaming to do this,” said Joe Treacy, an addiction counsellor with the Western Health Board.