Madam, - Your newspaper's perseverance in highlighting the country's alcohol problem is to be commended (Editorial, October 6th). What if the members of the Oireachtas were equally determined to act on this grave national problem?
Not long before the last election, John Gormley, now Minister for the Environment, criticised the Minister for Health's U-turn on her Department's preferred policy of using legislation to control alcohol advertising. Maybe he could revisit this area of pressing social importance, and seek cross-party and cabinet support for a ban on television advertising of alcohol. The Fine Gael health spokesman, Dr James O'Reilly, should be well able to "sell" such a move to his party.
The assorted vested interests of the powerful alcohol, media and advertising industries should be relegated to second place behind the well-being of our people, so many of whom are suffering the tragic effects of our unhealthy patterns of alcohol consumption.
With an election probably five years away, members of the Oireachtas should take courage and feel safe in acting for the good of the people - though as a consequence of such action, a good number might have to seek alternative venues for their constituency clinics, currently the local pub. - Yours, etc,
Dr PASCAL O'DEA, Medical Centre, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.
Madam, - Last Saturdy's Editorial on alcohol and advertising is commendable. A good place to begin more effective curbs would be with the obscenity of alcohol being advertised to minors through replica soccer strips. In sports shops you can buy soccer shirts for six-year-olds emblazoned with "Carling" and "Carlsberg".
The Minister for Arts, Sport, and Tourism and his counterpart in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform told me this was not a matter for them when I brought it to their attention. Two letters to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland on the issue have gone unanswered.
Rick Parry, chief executive of Liverpool FC, whose shirts bear the "Carlsberg" logo, told me that although his club sells an alternative version of the junior apparel without the logo, he found that "youngsters want to wear an exact replica of the kits worn by the players on the field".
Nobody wants to take responsibility for this matter, though clearly there is something very much amiss. Despite your Editorial, the prospects of dealing with this issue are not good. - Yours, etc,
ULTAN Ó BROIN, Sandycove, Co Dublin.
A Chara, - Your Editorial is one of the most incisive and uncompromising I have ever read on this subject. You and your newspaper are also to be heartily congratulated on the stand you have taken on the serious problem of alcohol abuse.
The time for prevarication is past, you write, adding: "Now, a report from the European Commission confirms that voluntary advertising codes and self-regulation by the drinks industry are not working." We can expect a well-articulated response from Meas, but the time has come for everyone to face the truth.
The drinks industry has this country in a firm grip. For years it has had successive governments on a leash. It is time for our politicians to show courage. But members of the Pioneer Association of the Sacred Heart won't be holding their breath. The grip is too firm. - Is 'mise,
SEÁN Ó RAGHALLAIGH, PRO, Pioneer Council, Carraig Mhachaire Rois, Co Mhuineacháin.