THE North Eastern Health Board is expected to pass a motion calling for all media, particularly RTE, to ban advertising for alcohol and alcohol related products. The proposal was put to this month's meeting of the board but due to standing orders it could not be formally passed without first being on the agenda.
Mr Colm Molloy, the director of sales and marketing in RTE, said he assumed that the members were aware of the stringent guidelines in place before advertising for alcohol could be accepted. "We take our responsibilities very seriously, and have no alcohol advertising on the radio station targeted at youth, 2FM," he said. He pointed out that these measures were endorsed by the Minister, Mr Higgins, recently.
The proposal arose from a discussion by board members on alcoholism and alcohol related problems in the board's catchment area of Louth, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan. It highlighted that the number of drink related offences recorded by gardai was greater in Cavan/Monaghan, although it was approximately half the size of Louth/Meath.
According to figures from the chief superintendents of each garda division, there were 271 drunken driving offences in Cavan/Monaghan last year compared with 69 in the Louth/Meath division.
Pharmacist, Tom Kelly, urged the board to seek the abolition of television advertising for all alcohol related products. He said young people were being led astray by the approach of the advertising media and a more serious approach had to be given to the abuse of alcohol and the family related problems that go with it.
Labour Dail deputy, Mr Brian Fitzgerald, said if the report before the meeting was about drug abuse, members would be alarmed. However, because the problem is alcohol related the board is not, although alcohol is a greater problem than drug abuse in many respects, according to him. He agreed with Cllr Kelly's proposal but said the issue also involved dealing with drink companies and the vintners.
Mr Fitzgerald said the message about the dangers of alcohol abuse had to get into national and secondary schools, particularly the danger at exam times. "Nothing is as bad as seeing kids heading to a party with half a dozen cans or bottles of cider," he said. He also called for legislation banning alcohol consumption in public places to be introduced.
Cllr Brendan Hughes said off licences were the biggest problem, while most vintners were responsible when selling alcohol. He said it was possible to see groups of young people heading from off licences with a cargo of drink for a binge.
Cllr Paddy Conaty said advertising was glamourising alcoholic fruit drinks and young people were not fit to take drink or control it. He said that in New York you had to be over 21 to get into and be served in a pub, while in Ireland you can be served in a disco without such requirements. Identification cards should be compulsory where there are bar extensions, according to Cllr Conaty.
Nursing representative, Ms Susan Faulkner, said more research was required before the board decided to hand the responsibility for alcoholism away from the psychiatric services to community based services, as recommended in a report before the board. Dr Eamonn Hartman supported doing more research before the report was adopted as policy.
The report was drawn up by Mr Larry Walshe, programme manager of the board's mental health services. He said the main treatment area has been set within the psychiatric sector but this has not worked, and many people respond very poorly to treatment interventions in that setting.
In 1995, there were 405 admissions to acute hospitals in the region where the principal or secondary diagnosis was an alcohol related problem. However, Mr Walshe said this was likely to be an under estimate due to recording and coding difficulties.
There are no community based services specifically for the treatment of alcoholism and no figures available for the number attending GPs for such services. Studies have indicated that one in every eight patients has an alcohol related problem.
The meeting decided to adjourn passing a motion urging all media, and in particular RTE, to cease advertising alcohol and alcohol related products until next month's meeting, when it will be put formally to board members.