Madam, - In a rather patronising piece entitled "Society needs to tackle its alcohol problem" (Opinion & Analysis, April 24th), Rosemary Garth of the Drinks Manufacturers of Ireland calls for a "sensible, calm, fact-based discussion" on the worsening alcohol abuse crisis in Ireland.
Insisting that we take heed of a little "common sense", she cites facts and figures derived from her industry's "own direct experience". All very fine, but there are some additional facts that must be considered.
The social cost of alcohol abuse worldwide is now causing serious concern and public health measures are being implemented in various countries to combat the crisis. The drinks industry in Ireland (as elsewhere) is terrified of state-imposed controls on the marketing of alcohol and is doing everything in its power to block any measures that would threaten its enormous profits. The industry has learned from the experience of the tobacco industry which, it acknowledges, reacted too late to similar threats in a passive and inadequate manner.
In a revealing comment Ms Garth insists that alcohol abuse is not the fault of Government, manufacturers or retailers alone, but that all can and should play a part in finding solutions. Clearly, the solution best suited to the interests of the drinks industry in Ireland includes a government that will do little or nothing to threaten its capacity to make greater profits from ever-increasing sales of its products. In that context, the Irish drinks industry has been singularly successful in ensuring that the National Alcohol Policy (1996) and the report of the Strategic Taskforce on Alcohol (2004) continue to gather dust in the office of the Minister for Health and Children.
It has been evident for some time that those who could do something about the worsening alcohol abuse problem - namely our legislators - have abdicated their responsibility to provide a safe and healthy environment for every citizen of this State. It would appear that the Government has swallowed "hook, line and sinker" the arguments of the Irish drinks industry that "self-regulation" is the best solution to the problem.
Meanwhile, the drinks industry is permitted to continue to exploit core elements of Irish culture such as sport, the arts and entertainment for its own ends; the numbers of those who are seriously addicted continues to rise; the carnage on our roads is worsening and drink-related violence is spiralling. But the publicans, the drinks companies and their shareholders are only too happy to see the State sitting on the fence.
And why would they not be happy as their profits grow larger by the year? - Yours, etc,
Dr MICHAEL LOFTUS, Main Street, Crossmolina, Co Mayo.