Last Thursday night, RTE's "Prime Time" programme revealed an appalling glimpse of the shocking damage that the dangerous pattern of alcohol over-consumption is inflicting on individuals and our social life and the shocking drain on our emergency health services. Is the Taoiseach ashamed, having held the office for five and a half years, that his Government has presided over such a dramatic increase in the abuse of alcohol consumption as opposed to a levelling off of consumption and the introduction of an educational process regarding sociable consumption?

Does he believe it is criminal that the drinks industry should be allowed to portray and freely advertise its products in the national media as trendy, sexy, seductive and a virtual gateway to paradise for those who consume them while, as we saw on "Prime Time", the grim reality is that the industry's products finish up on the streets of our cities and towns as vomit, real and social, and our emergency services have the appalling task of coping with the after effects? Far from being a gateway to paradise for those who become permanently seduced by the products of the drinks industry, it is a gateway to hell on earth.

When will the Government ban the advertising of alcohol as a trendy and healthy drug? Is the Taoiseach ashamed that he, his Ministers and his Tánaiste have been consistent enablers of the drinks industry by helping them to cast it in a favourable light, with the Tánaiste, for example, availing of a State aircraft in her eagerness to open an off-licence? Will they amend that policy and practice?

A number of initiatives have been taken in this area by an interdepartmental group over the past number of years. Some have proved to be successful while others have not. I understand from the Minister for Health and Children that the code of practice for the drinks industry is not being complied with in the spirit that was intended. The Minister has announced he is examining the extension of the ban on advertising in certain areas and is seeking to ensure the drinks industry follows the standards that were set out previously. He has made a number of speeches on this recently.

There is also a review group on intoxicating liquor licences and it is examining the issue of licensing discotheques, halls, clubs, bars, supermarkets and off-licences to see what can be done in that area. The Departments of Health and Children and Education and Science have taken initiatives and run campaigns to educate people who wish to drink, to engage in social drinking and to drink in moderation. These campaigns are aimed particularly at those who mix certain products with spirits, which creates enormous difficulties, as highlighted by the RTE programme and all the research in this area over the past number of years. Controls on such products should also be examined.

The banning of a number of these products and efforts to take them out of circulation proved not to be legal. It is not possible to do so because many of these drinks are not in themselves harmful. However, when they are mixed with spirits, significant difficulties are created. The interdepartmental group, which covers all these issues, the reviews of liquor licensing and health and education issues, is continuing its work. The Minister for Health and Children has made clear his displeasure and unhappiness with the present advertising legislation and has indicated he intends to amend it.

If a constituent of mine gets drunk and assaults somebody, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform does not express displeasure, as action is taken. Why is there such leniency towards the drinks industry when it is blatantly abusing its economic power to portray its products in this highly desirable fashion? Does the Taoiseach agree his Government facilitated the greed of these companies when it reduced corporation tax, even though the consumption of their products is a drain on our emergency services? Does he further agree that the drinks industry should be surtaxed so that more staff can be provided for our emergency services to cope with the dreadful after effects of what it has achieved through advertising? Will the Taoiseach join me in calling on the GAA and on soccer, rugby and all sporting organisations to cut their links with drinks companies and not facilitate them in pushing this product and creating even more damage? Would that not be a good beginning?

The Minister for Health and Children has already made his displeasure known regarding the matters raised by the Deputy, including sports advertising. I am not sure if these methods will prove successful, because they have not to date. The Minister for Health and Children has research which shows that changing the laws on advertising and going beyond a voluntary code of practice would show effect. He argues that this has been shown in other areas and he will return to that issue. It is already his stated intention to move on the issue of advertising.

As the Deputy correctly says, a large part of the work of accident and emergency departments, particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, centres on the effects of alcohol and drugs such as ecstasy and crack cocaine both in and outside licensed premises. A good beginning would be to remind people of their responsibilities and that it is illegal to serve under age drinkers in on-licence and off-licence premises. There are penalties for people who serve drink to people who are already under the influence of alcohol. It is for the publican to judge these things. At this time of the year publicans should take particular notice of these laws and not allow young people into licensed premises at any time of the day. This is already the law of the land.

Does the Taoiseach think he is setting a good example by opening so many public houses?

Deputy Ryan, this is Leader's Question time and the only person entitled to ask a supplementary question is Deputy Joe Higgins. Deputy, you have other ways of raising this issue.

This is a relevant question.