Alcohol in society - We need to end this blind love affair

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern’s defenders have had, possibly after one of his torturous days at Dublin Castle, referred to his achievements to try to reassure us that he is a great statesman rather than something much shabbier and mundane.

His role in re-establishing normality in the north and his part in creating the conditions that utterly changed our economy are undeniable but his announcement that he intends to confront the role alcohol plays in demeaning our society makes those achievements look like the minor game: an interesting, brisk opener but not at all the main event.

Our love-hate relationship with drink has become so deeply rooted in our culture, our social lives and, it is not over-egging the pudding to suggest this, our psyche, that reshaping that relationship is a task of huge proportions and urgency.