School teacher encourages families to drink together

A secondary school principal is giving his support to a initiative by publicans encouraging families to drink together.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland is proposing that parents should bring their 18- and 19-year-olds to the pub and demonstrate how to drink responsibly.

John O'Donovan, principal of St Joseph's Secondary School in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, believes that those who end up in A and E after drinking excessively should be fined.

And he has told Radio Kerry that he believes that encouraging responsible drinking habits for teenagers over 18 is a good idea.

"You might have two parents going to one pub, and you might have three or four teenagers going downtown to a different place," he said.

"And bringing them together, and sitting them down and having a chat - I think it's lovely."