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.

This bears out the widespread perception that despite a blizzard of expert reports on the personal and social difficulties associated with alcohol abuse, elements of this Government have been notoriously reluctant to face up to drink-related issues.

According to the damning results, some 82% of people see our current level of consumption as a serious problem. Some 88% of women and 81% of men are of the view that Irish people drink too much.

In a society where alcohol abuse is endemic among adults and children alike, it is revealing that 67% of men and 64% of women know somebody with a drink problem.

Clearly, when it comes to tackling this crisis, most people believe the Coalition is not doing enough. Some 85% of respondents thought the Government should invest in a special agency to tackle the problem.

They believe this agency should implement the 17 recommendations of the strategic task force on alcohol. However, since that report came out in 2004 it has been gathering dust on a ministerial shelf.

The ravages of alcoholism are also evidenced, with 44% saying they experienced harm, either through injury or intimidation, because someone was drinking too much.

A majority of those surveyed (54%) would support increased taxes on alcohol, provided the extra revenue was used to help solve the problems it causes in society.

Significantly, 87% were in favour of random breath testing for drivers. This reflects another troubling side of Irish life because the curse of alcohol abuse is etched in the blood of road carnage.

According to A&E doctors, drink features in a high percentage of fatal accidents. Many motorists persist in drinking and driving because the penalty points system has fallen into disrepute.

This situation has been aggravated by the inadequacy of garda enforcement, caused largely by a chronic lack of manpower and resources.

Given that gardaí, after years of Government dithering, have finally been cleared for random breath testing, the Coalition should adopt an Australian strategy requiring probationary drivers to maintain zero blood alcohol levels in the first three years after licensing. The hidden problems associated with alcohol abuse are also linked to the tragedy of suicide. The role of alcohol in society was highlighted yesterday by President Mary McAleese at a forum on suicide prevention.

Pointing out that the attitudes and practices of Irish society are not conducive to good mental health, she emphasised the need to develop a culture of openness where concerns could be easily articulated and not “dangerously suppressed”. Politicians should heed her words.