Call for Government to take Drinkaware’s presence away from schools

ICAAN spokesperson Paula Leonard also called on Drinkaware to cease all operations in schools but also said that the organisation, which is funded by donations from the alcohol industry, has “no intention” of doing so. File Picture: Larry Cummins

The Irish Community Action on Alcohol Network (ICAAN) has called on the Government to issue a circular to all schools which would remove Drinkaware’s presence from schools across the country.

Speaking at a briefing in Dublin on Thursday, ICAAN spokesperson Paula Leonard also called on Drinkaware to cease all operations in schools but also said that the organisation, which is funded by donations from the alcohol industry, has “no intention” of doing so.

Despite statements from the HSE, Department of Education and Department of Health, Ms Leonard said Drinkware has continued to be present in schools. 

“We have become aware that not only are Drinkaware scaling up the promotion of their alcohol education for schools which is for Junior Cycle, they have also developed and are launching a new school programme for transition year students.

“So rather than heeding government policy, their reaction to that has been to actually do more in schools, so that is why the Government is going to have to take action,” she said.

The ICAAN launched the i-Mark movement this year which aims to ensure schools-based education in Ireland is free from alcohol industry influence. The organisation said it would be “very welcoming” to schools who wished to sign up.

Drinkaware chief executive Sheena Horgan told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that Drinkaware is a registered charity, and that the content of its programme would be the same, whether it was funded by industry or the HSE. It has offered its school programme to the HSE, to Healthy Ireland, the Department of Health and the Department of Education, she said. 

“In the absence of there being a publicly funded alcohol education programme, this programme is there. It seems a bit crazy to be honest that there would be much-needed public resources being utilized to re-invent the wheel when there are some great learnings and great data there." 

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Leading global alcohol policy expert and adviser to the WHO, Professor Tom Babor, told the ICAAN briefing that Drinkaware’s training in schools was an “inappropriate vehicle for alcohol education”, saying that it was a form of marketing for the brands that fund it. 

Alcohol brands have taken an “insidious” turn in terms of their marketing, reaching young people and other vulnerable groups through social media, he added. 

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said it is not appropriate that resources or materials produced or funded by the alcohol industry are in use in our schools. More 'Making Healthy Choices’ resources for Junior Cycle SPHE are being developed, with more units due next year.