FMA - Family and Media Association - Media Report - Teenage Drinking

No 28

SUMMER

2003

€0.50

Media Report

Text Box: “The way in which we deal with alcohol is literally a matter of life and death,” said Breda O’Brien, the Irish Times columnist, speaking at the conference ‘Teen Drinking and Sex’ organised last May in Dún Laoghaire by the Family and Media Association in association with school parents’ associations. Common themes emerged from the contributions: We were in a crisis of frightening proportions Only sustained co-operative effort by all groups concerned—government, vintners, media, teachers, gardaí, and, above all, parents—could begin to solve the problem Hope was to be found in the fundamental self-respect and decency of many young people. Quantity and pattern Mary Hanafin, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of An Taoiseach, set the keynote in the opening address. She presented some alarming statistics. In the last decade, Ireland has had the highest increase in alcohol consumption among EU countries. In 2001 Ireland ranked second highest for alcohol consumption with a rate of 11.4 litres per capita, against an EU average of 9.1 litres. But, she said, the problem was also one of patterns. “These have been influenced by changing lifestyles and expectations. More disposable income and a strong focus on consumerism have ensured a dynamic relationship between market-place and consumer.” A continuum of problems “The adverse effects of alcohol extend beyond physical health issues to mental, social and financial problems,” said the Minister. “There is a continuum of problems, which can affect everyone across the community.” These ranged from one-off problems (falls, accidents, fights, etc) to recurring ones (poor school/work performance, financial hardship, relationship difficulties, chronic illness, a sustained dependence, etc). Some of these problems, especially the more acute ones, tended to occur when a light or moderate drinker drank to excess on a single drinking occasion, while others resulted from regular heavy drinking over a longer period of time. Here the pattern of drinking by

In this issue

John Brett

TV-Turnoff Week 9

Des Cryan

Changing Times 6

Straight Talk 5

Breda O’Brien

On being

embarrassed by

John Paul II 8

Michael O’Driscoll

Democracy and the media 9

Des Ryan

FMA Conference on Teenage Drinking 1

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Michael Aherne 12

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Media People

Angela Macnamara 7

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Letters

A Way Forward

RTÉ and Balance 4

QUOTES 2; EDITORIAL 4; InterNET 12; doll 4

Report by DES RYAN

Photos by MICHAEL CUMMINS

Text Box: ARCHBISHOP DIARMUID MARTIN FMA and Media Report are happy to welcome as Coadjutor for the Archdiocese of Dublin the Most Reverend Diarmuid Martin, Titular Archbishop of Glendalough and a distinguished member of the Roman Curia. We agree wholeheartedly with Seán Ascough of Youth 2000: “He’s exactly what’s needed to lead the new evangelisation of our country.” Ad multos annos! (See Editorial, page 4)