17 Samh 2011, 17:10
The Committee on Health and Children today, Thursday, 17th November met with representatives from the advertising industry and the advertising watchdog organisations to discuss the role of advertising in marketing alcohol and the effects of this on young people.
Chairman of the Committee on Health and Children, Jerry Buttimer, TD said: \"Our meeting today provided the Committee with an opportunity to express our serious concerns about some of the advertising techniques and methods employed by the industry. Members of the Committee are not naïve enough to believe that sole responsibility for the problems of alcohol use in young people rests with the advertising industry. However, the industry must take responsibility for the way they portray alcohol as an attractive commodity for young people. Young people are impressionable and the image of alcohol being glamorous must be called into question. It would be remiss of the members of the Committee if they did not highlight these issues when we can.
The Committee will continue, over the coming weeks, to focus and prioritise the issues of alcohol availability and use, pricing, marketing and advertising. We are on target with our preparation and planned publication of our report on our findings. As I have previously said, I intend that our report will assist the Government in its plans to address the problem of alcohol misuse in a comprehensive and meaningful way.”
Ends
For further information please contact:
Cáit Hayes,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3883
M: 087-9190300
F: +3531 618 4551
cait.hayes@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Derek Keating, Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fail
Eamonn Maloney, Labour Party
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fail
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Denis Naughten, Fine Gael
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein
Senators
Colm Burke, Fine Gael
John Crown, Independent
David Cullinane, Sinn Fein
John Gilroy, Labour Party
Imelda Henry, Fine Gael
Marc Mac Sharry, Fianna Fail
Jillian Van Turnhout, Independent
The Committee will continue, over the coming weeks, to focus and prioritise the issues of alcohol availability and use, pricing, marketing and advertising. We are on target with our preparation and planned publication of our report on our findings. As I have previously said, I intend that our report will assist the Government in its plans to address the problem of alcohol misuse in a comprehensive and meaningful way.”
Ends
For further information please contact:
Cáit Hayes,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3883
M: 087-9190300
F: +3531 618 4551
cait.hayes@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Derek Keating, Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fail
Eamonn Maloney, Labour Party
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fail
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Denis Naughten, Fine Gael
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein
Senators
Colm Burke, Fine Gael
John Crown, Independent
David Cullinane, Sinn Fein
John Gilroy, Labour Party
Imelda Henry, Fine Gael
Marc Mac Sharry, Fianna Fail
Jillian Van Turnhout, Independent