Alcohol and suicide - Crises that must be addressed

TWO grave social problems with a deep Irish resonance are in the news today - alcohol abuse and suicide.

Any Government minister in doubt about the intensity of public concern over excessive alcohol consumption should peruse the results of an alarming report due out and foreshadowed in these columns today.

According to the Millward Brown survey of Irish attitudes to drink, only a quarter of those questioned in the survey of 1,000 people believe the Government is treating the issue seriously.