We spent one and a half hours last night discussing this very serious subject. I was glad to see the reception the media gave it because I want to correct something I said last night. I said that this very important matter was being debated from 7 o'clock to 8.30 in the evening and that the media did not seem on some occasions to take much notice of what happened in this House. However, I am very happy with the reception this debate got on the radio last night and this morning and in the newspapers today. I believe the media have a part to play in the campaign to have teenage drinking reduced to proper proportions or, if possible, eliminated. I am glad the media played their part last night and today. I believe the media can be used by the Minister's Department to highlight the evils of under-age drinking and the evils of introducing drink to children.
I go a long way with what the Minister said last night in regard to people's attitudes. Our attitudes as parents leave a lot to be desired. I have heard parents whom I regard as responsible people saying that if their children were introduced to drink at an early age there was less likelihood of their becoming alcoholics. It has never been proved that that is the case but that is still the attitude of many parents. Those people are anxious to ensure that their children never become alcoholics but they have this false idea that their children should be introduced to drink at an early age.
There was reference by parents to children drinking at an early age in continental countries. France is most often quoted. But the French are extremely worried by the high rate of alcoholism there today. Those parents should find out what the position is in those countries rather than take what they hear as fact. That is as far as I can go with what the Minister said last night. Those who have taken an easy attitude with regard to teenage drinking should be encouraged to change their minds. The facts should be put before them.
The Government have not taken steps to put the facts before the people. We have only to look at the amount of money spent last year by the Health Education Bureau and compare that with the amount of money spent the previous year. This will show how insincere is a lot of what the Minister said last night. The Minister for Health, in reply to a question last week, said that the Health Education Bureau spent £187,000 in 1979 and in 1980 spent £176,000, a reduction of £11,000. When one takes into account the rate of inflation, which was officially put at 18 per cent, I make that reduction to be £44,660 compared to what was spent in 1979. If those of us who are concerned about the problem are to have any effect on the community at large we will have to be backed up by serious Government action. I do not consider a cut in real terms of £44,660 spent in the research on advertising with regard to alcohol consumption serious Government action in tackling this problem.
I believe that when the Minister announced on budget day the extension of the tax on table waters to include squashes this was detrimental to the campaign to reduce the consumption of alcohol by teenagers. Many teachers and parents have organised meetings to try to educate parents about the best way of introducing their children to alcohol. If one is to be successful in this the Government should make available an alternative drink at the cheapest possible price. The sales of this alternative drink have escalated over the past few years. I believe more squashes are used in hotels and private homes than ever before. I am sure that is why the Minister for Finance had a look at it. It is unfortunate that he put 37.2p per gallon on squashes. It has had an even greater effect than I thought it would have the day it was introduced in the budget. The extra cost, including VAT, to the consumer will be 36½p per four litre pack of lemon and orange squashes. This put the total selling price of the four litre pack to over £2. This takes from what the Minister said last night that the Government were taking seriously the problem of teenage drinking.
One of the main alternatives to drinking alcohol is squash. What does the Minister for Finance do? He puts on a tax of 37.2p per gallon when he extended this table water tax to include squashes. One producer of this product informed me that he will be forced to withdraw the four litre size from the market. I hope the Minister sitting opposite will have a word with the Minister for Finance and try to persuade him to drop this tax in an effort to reduce under-age drinking. No doubt arguments will be made in favour of an increase in the tax on wine and spirits and other alcoholic drinks. This will be put forward as a way to entice people not to take alcoholic drink. In making that argument people should also look at the tax the Minister has seen fit to put on table waters and squashes.
Another contributory factor to our high rate of teenage drinking is the lack of adequate recreational facilities in the new and developing areas. On occasion when I go into a lounge bar to have a leisurely drink with friends we are the grandfathers. There is a very high rate of teenage drinking. Concerned parents and teachers have taken an initiative in calling for the meetings to which I referred last night to try to educate the public about drinking. That has to be done, but it is pointless if they have not got the backing of the Government.
Not all teenage drinkers are under age. I am just as concerned about the young person who is drinking legally as I am about the under-aged drinkers. A person drinking at 19 years of age is at as great a risk as the person drinking at 17 years of age. When I discuss this matter with them inevitably I am asked: "Where else can we go?" We need a massive financial injection into the provision of facilities other than lounge bars, or licensed clubs, or wherever else drink is sold. I have not got much of an answer for youngsters who ask where else can they meet their friends. Some discos sell alcoholic drink and others specialise in soft drinks. This indicates that there are people in the community who are prepared to do something to ensure that drink is kept as far away as possible from 16, 17, 18 and 19 year olds.
The Government could play a very big part by giving extra money to the Health Education Bureau and by having second thoughts about the imposition of 37.2p per gallon on squashes. They should make more money available to provide alternative facilities for recreation for young people. Areas which have a recreation hall without a licence are few and far between. I would ask the Minister to bear this in mind when he is considering the other legislation he spoke about last night.
The law on the sale of drink is far from adequate. People as young as 15 years of age are legally entitled to buy drink in off-licence premises. People younger than that are buying drink in off-licence premises. At 15 years they are legally entitled to do so and nobody can do anything about it. If a 15 year old goes into an off-licence premises and asks for certain drinks he must be served provided the quantity of alcohol is one pint and the container is corked and sealed. It is time that law was looked at. The law dealing with 18 years olds drinking on the premises is not fully enforced and it is not fully enforcible unfortunately.
Some people are prepared knowingly to serve drink illegally. There were quite a number of prosecutions last year. In the past few days I saw the figure for the number of prosecutions in the Republic, and convictions were secured in 37 cases. This is proof that some people are prepared to break the law. This is to be deplored. Any person who is prepared to break the law in that way has a great deal to answer for. I do not know how they can remain and watch the young person drinking.
Members of organisations are doing great work, but it now seems to be the in thing for a football club to obtain a licence. It may be that running clubs is so expensive that they have to seek other ways to finance their activities. It may be that they realise that, if they do not serve alcohol on their premises, young people will go elsewhere. I do not know why football clubs should be so eager to get a licence. There are a number in my constituency and, in my opinion, this does not add anything to the game. Football clubs with a licence are no better today than they were some years ago when they did not have a licence.
I occasionally visit these clubs. On one occasion I recall visiting a club at 12.15 a.m. and was shocked to see youths who were no more than 15 years of age with alcoholic drink in front of them. It had such an effect on me that I did not buy a drink there that night but asked to see the committee to discuss the matter with them. Some of them agreed with the attitude I had taken and others had arguments against it. The organisers of football clubs who run licensed premises as well have a terrifying responsibility to the community to ensure that the licence is not abused. I do not know how it can happen that 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds can obtain and consume drink in football clubs and nothing is done about it by the law. There is inadequate supervision of many of the clubs. Many members of the vintners association are prepared to admit that there is under-age drinking on their premises. They may not admit it as an association but many individual members of the association have admitted it to me and also the fact that there is an under-age drinking problem in the country. I wonder if all 37 convictions were publicans or were any of them clubs that have licences for their premises.
I urge the Minister to ensure that the law keeps a tight eye on these licenced clubs. They are not all football clubs. There are other clubs now obtaining licences. I do not believe most of the people realise the responsibility they take on in running a licenced premises.
