Cheap alcohol blights young lives, says Kenny

THE availability of cheap alcohol is blighting and ending young lives, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

Mr Kenny indicated the Government will move shortly to address the problems caused by the availability of cheap alcohol.

Everywhere he goes in Ireland worried parents have made him aware of the damage being caused by “exceptionally cheap” alcohol, the Taoiseach said.

Mr Kenny told reporters: “The issue of cheap alcohol is going to be looked at by the minister (Roisín Shortall, Minister of State with Responsibility for Drugs Strategy).

“I have reports from hospitals of people being pumped out. Huge quantities of cheap alcohol are being consumed. It is an issue that is being brought directly to my attention.”

The Taoiseach added: “Nobody wants to take away the right of people to enjoy themselves but there has to be an understanding that excess can and does serious damage and the long-term impact and consequences of excess alcohol and use of drugs leads to enormous health challenges. The impact of very cheap alcohol is a factor in this area.”

He said that our teenagers and young adults drink more in total and more per occasion than those in any other European country.

“The statistics are stark”, he said. “For example, alcohol is responsible for about 100 deaths every month.

“It is also responsible for 2,000 beds being occupied every night in hospitals around the country. It accounts for three out of every 10 emergency department attendances and 7% of GP consultations.

“Furthermore, one in four deaths in young men (15-34) is due to alcohol compared with one in 12 due to cancers and one in 25 due to circulatory disease. We no longer accept that people have to die from cancer and heart disease. Likewise we can’t ignore the fact that so many more of our young people are dying from alcohol than anything else.”

Mr Kenny spoke at the official launch of the Mayo Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Week at Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar.