Shock tactics urged in drink abuse battle

PARENTS should have to pay medical costs arising from treatment of children who are injured due to alcohol abuse, Minister of State Noel Ahern told a conference on addiction yesterday.

Mr Ahern, who has responsibility for community affairs and the National Drugs Strategy, also said there should be a sales levy on drinks companies to be used for dealing with the effects of addiction.

Mr Ahern said there should be a direct charge on parents for costs arising from treatment of self-induced injuries, including visits to Accident and Emergency units.

“I believe there’s a need for some shock tactics to get the message home as the softly, softly approach doesn’t seem to be working,” Mr Ahern said.

“There’s a mood for tougher action. Under-age drinking is becoming a huge problem and the ability of some well-fed, middle class kids to consume alcohol is enormous,” he said.

On the question of imposing a levy on drink sales, Mr Ahern said money raised should be used for treatment of the ill effects of alcohol, providing alternative activities for young people and awareness campaigns.

At a conference on addiction organised by South Kerry Development Partnership, in Killarney, Mr Ahern said it was not his department’s job to introduce such measures, but he would support such measures by the Government.

Conceding that alcohol was too readily available, he maintained that nightclubs posed a much greater problem than pubs, while the availability of alcohol in the home was also a critical factor.

Dr Mick Loftus, coroner for North Mayo, said the rampant abuse of alcohol was responsible for massive psychological abuse of children, up to 70,000 of whom were affected by it.

With 100,000 alcoholics in Ireland, each affecting at least four other people, there were huge problems in the home, workplace and a burden on the health service to deal with serious consequences of heavy drinking. Up to 60% of problems were caused by moderate drinkers.

“What is happening is particularly unfair to children,” said Dr Loftus.

Describing as “arrant nonsense” claims by the drinks industry that advertising does not increase consumption, he said hard-headed businessmen would not be spending 60m on advertising each year if it did get results.

Con Cremin, director of the Talbot Grove Addiction Treatment Centre, Castleisland, supported a sales levy on alcohol. He also called for greater enforcement of the drink laws , but questioned if the social and political will was there to do it effectively.