Shortall’s recommendations provoke mixed reactions

THE consumption of alcohol is in the news again and recent proposals by Minister of State Róisín Shortall to introduce a minimum unit price on alcohol and a ban on drinks companies sponsoring sports events have provoked debate within Government.

Clare journalist Brian O’Connell is the author of Wasted: A Sober Journey through Drunken Ireland, which looks at the country’s relationship with alcohol and his own journey to sobriety.
He feels sponsorship of things like the Magner’s League and the Heineken Cup shouldn’t continue. “I think overall that self-regulation hasn’t worked and there is a need for a stronger legislative approach. Around 18 months ago I was watching the Magner’s League final and Ronan O’Gara was named man of the match. In recognition of that he was presented with an oversized bottle of Magners. That was about 4.30pm or 5pm on a Saturday afternoon and a large proportion of the audience would have been under 18. I don’t think it’s appropriate that this is how it is rewarded.”
He doesn’t feel stopping sponsorship will have a detrimental effect on sport and said the France hosted the World Cup successfully in 1998, despite having banned drink companies’ sponsorship of sports in the early part of that decade.
Mr O’Connell said new guidelines were also brought in for journalists regarding coverage of alcohol in the media and that a number of such initiatives helped bring about a substantial drop in French alcohol consumption.
With regard to minimum pricing, he said its introduction is an obvious and sensible move to make. “It targets irresponsible drinking and I think it’s a no-brainer. I can’t understand why it hasn’t been brought in.”
Clare TD Michael McNamara said he is strongly in favour of introducing a minimum price for alcohol. “I have already stated categorically that I support the introduction of a minimum price.”
He also said the place of the pub in the social fabric of Ireland should be protected, along with jobs provided by pubs and small shops.
Deputy McNamara said he doesn’t have a very strong opinion one way or another on the sponsorship issue but if a ban is introduced while some outlets “continue to sell cans of lager for 10 cents it’d make no sense”.
With regard to minimum pricing, Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said there is an issue to be tackled. “It’s not right that a can of beer is cheaper than a bottle of water,” he commented.
In relation to sponsorship, Deputy Carey said drinks companies have long had a role in supporting sporting events and that if they exited, there would be few other sources of sponsorship.
Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley said he supports minimum pricing but expressed doubt about stopping the drinks companies’ sponsorship of sporting events. “I don’t think that the branding of the product necessarily encourages its misuse and the concentration has to be at the point of sale.”
Fine Gael’s Pat Breen said business had brought him to the Phoenix Park on the day of the controversial concert earlier this month and that abuse of alcohol had been very obvious. He said the type of drinking he had observed that day needs to be tackled. “Obviously, it has an impact in terms of anti-social behaviour but it will also have a huge effect on health further down the road.”
He said he would favour the introduction of minimum pricing but feels sponsorship of sporting events can continue. “I have no great problem with it but it has to be done in a sensitive way that doesn’t target young people or make it seem glamorous to young people,” he said.