"People in my class get drink in any shop no bother . . . Drink is too easy to get, you can get it anywhere." These were the thoughts of two pupils from Tallaght Community College at a discussion yesterday about alcohol and young people with Bishop Éamonn Walsh.
Announcing the launch of a DVD about the issue on the public-access YouTube website, Dr Walsh called for a break in the link between sport and alcohol advertising.
"You won't have a soccer player going around with a packet of cigarettes printed on their back, so why should a referee have a bottle of beer? We have to tackle this like we tackled drink-driving, as it will be resisted very strongly."
Teenagers speaking at the event, organised by the Irish Bishops' Conference, said the "cheapness" of drink was a major factor in young people's use of alcohol.
Dr Walsh called on people to cut down their drinking by a third, or completely abstain as part of their Lenten fast. He asked people to become aware of how much they usually drank and to give the money they saved to charity. He also called on the Government's alcohol advisory group to tackle the issue of alcohol sponsorship.
This call was backed up by debate chair, RTÉ Liveline presenter Joe Duffy, who said he was baffled as to why pundits referred to the "Guinness All-Ireland" and the "Heineken cup", and why RTÉ went along with it. "We don't have to give them free ads," he said.
Rising concerns about cocaine use following the death of model Katy French were also acknowledged by Dr Walsh. A drug initiative is being tried out in 10 parishes to help local communities build a strategy to combat drugs. Dr Walsh recalled being a prison chaplain in the 1980s when heroin use was at its height. The DVD, Find the Balance: Dare to Dream, seeks to encourage a culture of moderation among young people, and has already been sent to more than 800 secondary schools in Ireland. A link is available at: www.catholiccommunications.ie
