‘Ambivalence to alcohol abuse must be removed’

Children’s Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said the national “ambivalence” to alcohol abuse must be removed given the level of damage being caused to young people.

She was commenting on research by UCD academics which showed that nearly one-in-10 fifth and sixth year students were drinking “dangerous” levels of alcohol and another quarter were engaged in “problem drinking”.

The study, reported in the Irish Examiner yesterday, found that one fifth of all secondary pupils suffered from moderate to very severe levels of depression and that excessive drinking increased the risk.