Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:60 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice the measures, if any, he is taking to curb under-age drinking.
Written Answers. - Under-Age Drinking.
The Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988, introduced a wide range of controls designed to tackle the problem of under-age drinking. The basic approach taken in the Act is to make it as difficult as possible for a person under 18 years of age lawfully to purchase alcohol, or to consume or be in possession of it elsewhere than in a private residence. The operation of the controls contained in the Act is being carefully monitored. There are indications that they are having a beneficial effect and the situation is being kept under review.
Legal measures on their own cannot, of course, provide a solution to the problem of under-age drinking. Social, cultural and economic factors are involved and abroadly based approach to the problem is required. Involvement of parents and local communities is essential to the reduction of the incidence of under-age drinking. The gardaí are more than willing to assist and co-operate with local initiatives to deal with the problem and in certain instances they have played a prominent part in organising legal programmes to deal with abuse of alcohol and other substances by young people.
Education of young people about alcohol is also crucial and my colleague the Minister for Health gave full details of programmes that are now under way in this area when replying to a question by Deputy Tom Kitt on 25 October last. I might also mention that under-age drinking is a significant factor in the behaviour of a considerable number of young offenders, as indeed excessive drinking is with their parents. The probation and welfare service in my own Department have a proven record in developing alcohol education programmes and these will form an integral part of the specialised, community based initiatives to rehabilitate young offenders which, as I recently announced, are being undertaken by the service.