Kenny remains tight-lipped on calls for Arthur's Day boycott

The Taoiseach has declined to say if he supports a call from one a Government backbencher for a boycott of Arthur's Day.

The call came from the Labour Dublin Mid West TD Robert Dowds.

It comes after doctors warned that the annual event - which takes place this Thursday - glamorises drink and is contributing to alcohol abuse.

This is what Enda Kenny told the Dáil when asked if there should be a boycott:

"It doesn't take any particular day to have a situation in accident and emergency wards around this country that are not very nice to put it mildly," he said.

"When you consider that 2,000 beds in our country are occupied because of the consequences of drink

"That is not because of any individual firm or any individual day it is part of our culture that needs to change."