Health Reform Programme: Ministerial Presentation
Deputy Gormley: I want to ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children two questions, the first of which concerns the alcohol products Bill. This Bill mysteriously disappeared off the list of promised legislation. Does she agree that alcohol is the most damaging, albeit legal, drug in Irish society? Knowing from much experience that self-regulation does not work, why has she allowed the industry to regulate itself? She has stated that if it does not work, she will introduce the Bill. What period of time is involved? For how long will the Minister provide for self-regulation? On the one hand, the Department is running advertisements on television telling people to drink sensibly but, on the other, they are outweighed by the number glamourising alcohol and encouraging people to drink.
I refer to water fluoridation. Ireland is the only country in the world that experiences mass fluoridation of water. The last time the Minister appeared before the committee, she stated the jury was still out on the issue. Has it come in to give its verdict? Has the Minister changed her mind, given that the latest evidence from a study conducted by a US university links water fluoridation with cancer?
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Deputy Harney: Deputy Gormley asked me about the alcohol products legislation. It has been decided to make progress in that regard by means of a code of practice as a single Bill will not alter the fact that alcohol abuse is a major problem in Irish society. The cultural patterns endemic in our society need to be changed by means of increased educational awareness, for example, although that will take quite some time. One of the frightening aspects of the drinking patterns of the young people of today, as opposed to my generation, is that they seem to engage in binge drinking in order that they can be out of their minds within a short period of time. I am not certain about the role of advertising in that regard. As somebody said to me recently about a different issue, it is difficult to target campaigns at young people because they do not read the newspapers we read and do not listen to the radio programmes to which we listen. We need to be innovative in our use of forms of technology such as texting, for example.
Deputy Gormley: Young people watch television.
Deputy Harney: The Government has decided to initiate a voluntary code of practice in the first instance. I was asked about a timeframe. I expect it will take a code of practice of this nature at least two years to have any impact.
Deputy Gormley: Two years.
Deputy Harney: At least two years, to be fair. I am a fan of the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
Deputy Gormley: It is broken.
Deputy Harney: If we want this to work, we need to give it a chance. I agree we have a great deal to do if we are to combat alcohol abuse as the lifestyles of every generation have been associated with alcohol. We have a long way to go — it will take much longer than many of us anticipate to develop a healthy attitude to alcohol in this country. Such an attitude does not necessitate encouraging people not to drink alcoholic products, as it can involve drinking in moderation and responsible drinking, which I favour.
The medical experts who have advised me at departmental, EU and WHO level take a contrary view to that of the Green Party on water fluoridation. That is a fact, although I accept there is an alternative view. I would like to think I am open-minded. If something needs to be changed because it makes good medical sense, I will agree to change it. If it does not, I have to maintain the status quo. That is the position on the fluoridation of water.