Committee Reports::Report No. 13 - The relationship between alcohol misuse and the drinks industry sponsorship of sporting activities::01 March, 2007::Report


	HOME Baile
	COMMITTEE REPORTS Tuasascálacha Coistí

Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2007 > Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs > Report No. 13 - The relationship between alcohol misuse and the drinks industry sponsorship of sporting activities

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

AN COMHCHOISTE UM GHNÓTHAÍ EALAÍON, SPÓIRT, TURASÓIREACHTA, POBAIL, TUAITHE AGUS GAELTACHTA

An Tríú Tuarascáil Déag

An gaol idir mí-úsáid alcóil agus coimircíocht an tionscail deochanna ar ghníomhaíochtaí spóirt.

Márta 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

JOINT COMMITTEE ON ARTS, SPORT, TOURISM, COMMUNITY, RURAL AND GAELTACHT AFFAIRS

Thirteenth Report

The relationship between alcohol misuse and the drinks industry sponsorship of sporting activities.

March 2007

Foreword by the Chairman	5
Recommendations of the Joint Committee	7
Appendix 1:The relationship between alcohol misuse and the drinks industry sponsorship of sporting activities (Report of Mr. James Breen T.D., in consultation with Turas Counselling)	9
Appendix 2:Membership of the Joint Committee	43
Appendix 3:Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee	45

Foreword by the Chairman

The links between the alcohol industry and sport in this country and indeed in Europe are undeniable. Anybody attending the recent RBS 6 nations championship matches in Croke Park cannot not but have been dazzled by the plethora of signs highlighting Guinness. Also you will have noticed that Munster won the “Heineken” Cup last year, rather than the European Rugby Championship. This Report shows the insidious role that alcohol and its advertising and promotion plays in our national lifestyle and this Report is but one of many crying stop. How many more tragedies and ruined lives do we need?

	Cecilia Keaveney T.D.,
	Chairman of the Joint Committee,
	March 2007.

Recommendations of the Joint Committee

•The Joint Committee recommends that the government acknowledges the extent of the problem of alcohol abuse in the country and the underlying role that drinks sponsorship and promotion plays in it.

•The Joint Committee recommends that policy measures are required which will change the environment and culture surrounding alcohol.

•The Joint Committee recommends that these policies must be implemented at both national and community levels and be age related.

•The Joint Committee recommends that the best practice for the foundation of a comprehensive alcohol policy should combine the limiting of access, taxation measures, the enforcement of alcohol legislation and intervention with the high risk cohort and strongly recommends the implementation of such a comprehensive policy.

•The Joint Committee recommends the sourcing of sponsorship for sport outside of the alcohol industry: the correlation between the onset of drinks sponsorship and the rapid rise in alcohol consumption in this country is too strong to be ignored.

•The Joint Committee recommends further examinations of what measures might be effective in reducing the consumption of alcohol in clubhouses where young people are present to play games such as football, hurling, soccer and rugby.

•The Joint Committee recommends examining how to break the link between healthy sports activities and high-risk binge-drinking by members of clubs and by those taking an active part in sport.

•The Joint Committee recommends that the government be aware of international agreements and EU Directives/Regulations on alcohol taxation, alcohol promotion or sponsorship which may impinge on the government’s ability to reduce alcohol related harm.

•The Joint Committee recommends the government to take cognisance of the World Health Organisation’s European Charter on Alcohol. This Charter specifies the importance of the following areas:

1.Availability.

2.Control of promotion of alcohol.

3.The enhancement of society’s capacity to respond to alcohol related harm.

4.The protecting of public, private and working environments.

5.The responsibilities of the alcohol beverage industry.

6.The provision of information and education.

7.The provision of effective treatment services.

8.Support for non-governmental organisations.

9.Ongoing research and monitoring.

10.The role played by alcohol in road accidents.

•In its ongoing work over the last four years on drug and alcohol abuse the Joint Committee has always been conscious of the importance of treatment and rehabilitation of the victims given that the therapeutic support for victims and their families comes under the umbrella of the Mental Health Services and given the consistent underfunding of these services the Joint Committee again supports the health professionals and voluntary groups who are continually demanding appropriate resources for those services.