asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a recent statement by a consultant psychiatrist that alcohol is the greatest single addictive drug in use in the Republic; what steps he proposes to take to reduce the incentives to non-addicts to become addicted either directly by advertisements on radio, television or newspapers or indirectly by advertisements purporting to be sports subsidies of various kinds.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Alcohol Addiction.
6.
I am aware of the statement referred to by the Deputy and I recently expressed the view myself that the prevalence of alcoholism in this country, while not accurately known, was without a doubt one of very serious proportions and required far more public attention and consideration.
On the question of advertising alcoholic beverages, my Department has on more than one occasion taken this question up with the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland and expressed concern that the advertising of alcoholic liquor should not be specifically directed towards the young. The director of the institute informed my Department last year that all member agencies and individual members were being requested to take due cognisance of the Minister's concern and indicated that the matter would be reconsidered when the next edition of the code of advertising standards for Ireland was being prepared. It is undoubtedly a matter of serious import and will need to be kept continually under review.
In this instance, as well as in the case of cigarette smoking, is the Minister not being completely hypocritical in his dual attitude in regard to drug addiction maladies, cigarette smoking in adults and alcohol addiction in adults? Surely the adult has as much right to protection against his weakness as the adolescent has and the Minister should try to reduce the incentives to people becoming addicted to either of these two very serious and dangerous drugs.
I think more of young people than I do of adults and Radio Telefís Éireann, for example, operate their own code of standards in regard to the advertising of alcoholic liquor, confining the advertisements to persons who must appear to be over 21 years of age and insisting that advertising should not convey the impression that there is any glamour attached to the drinking of alcoholic beverages.
Deputy Dr. Browne rose.
I would remind the Deputy that we have 106 questions on the Order Paper.
Is it not a fact that the Minister's position in this regard is completely immoral in that it is dictated by revenue considerations and nothing else?
On the contrary. If the Deputy wants me to give my views on alcoholism and its incidence on another occasion I shall be quite prepared to give them, but I cannot give them at Question Time. I should tell the Deputy that next year, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, special social welfare officers will be appointed to some of the regional health boards on an experimental basis, whose sole duty will be to do propaganda work and make contact with Alcoholics Anonymous with a view to reducing the incidence of alcoholism.