People are talking about Arthur's Day today but it has been McGuinness week in Donegal from a sporting point of view.

Jimmy is winning matches.

I agree with Senators Coghlan and Bradford on the need for a debate on alcohol abuse. I said on local radio this morning that drinks companies are claiming that without their sponsorship many sports events would not survive but there are many companies outside the drinks trade that would step into the position if they got the chance to sponsor.

There is a definite link between sponsorship of sports by brands of drink and alcohol abuse and the drink companies know that. In France, where the Heineken Cup is as popular as it is here, it is called the H Cup because alcohol sponsorship is banned in France. French rugby is not damaged in any way by not having alcohol companies sponsoring it.

We must go down this road if we are serious about alcohol abuse. We should have a drug abuse day, as Senator Bradford said, or a national day for older people or children. To have almost a national holiday for Arthur's Day links directly to alcohol abuse. If drinks companies can get such advertising, they will and we must control it. Alcohol is a drug, it is not for recreation and we should recognise that. I join the calls to have it debated here and I am sure every Member will have a view on it.

I also share in the tributes to the former Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall. She made some strong and provocative contributions in this House in the time I have been here. It is ironic that she tendered her resignation on the eve of Arthur's Day, as has been noted already. She was very much to the fore in highlighting the serious problems we have with drink. I commend Senators Bradford, Coghlan and Noone for their contributions because alcohol is effectively a national scourge now. It causes the vast majority of anti-social behaviour, crime and domestic violence. It is a serious problem and the Seanad has a role to play in carrying on the legacy of the former Minister of State in ensuring the issue is kept at the top of the political agenda. This House has the scope, time and space to come up with innovate ways of dealing with these problems and I would be an advocate of using the Seanad to do that.

Is the Senator calling for a debate on the issue of alcohol abuse?

I have already suggested earlier this week, and I will suggest it again, that one radical measure we could take would be to increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 years of age. It has been done in the United States with some success but it is enforced there. A 50 year old who walks into a bar in the United States is more likely to be asked for ID than not. That is the sort of culture we must embrace in this country. The industry, Government and public must work together to come up with solutions in order that the next generation does not suffer the consequences we are suffering on a daily basis as a result of alcohol abuse. We should have day of discussions where we could bring in some of the expert groups in this area, listen to them and come up with solutions.

I would like to continue in the same vein as my Seanad colleagues, particularly following Senator Bradford's remarks. If Arthur's Day was health day, it would not enjoy the same notoriety. Let us call a spade a spade, alcohol is embedded in our culture; that is the fundamental problem we have never grappled with. I call today for Arthur's Say to sponsor a drugs day and in that show how important the message to "drink responsibly" is. Until we get at the fundamental issue that alcohol is a drug that changes our behaviour, we are missing the point. I agree with Senator Conway, that we should be looking at best practice worldwide to combat alcohol abuse. I see 18 year olds who are looking for their passport the minute they turn 18 in order that they can prove they are 18 to buy a drink. This is what they want; it is the norm in our society. This is what I see among my children's peers. It is fitting to pay tribute to the former Minister of State because she championed the combatting of alcohol abuse and we must continue with her quest, especially when it comes to advertising.

I am saddened to see Deputy Shortall step down in this way, especially as a woman. She was extremely hard working and many tributes have been paid to her work on alcohol abuse today but I also saw the work she did on public health nursing. I am a patron of the ICHN and can tell the House that she gave a voice to people on the front line who had never been acknowledged before. I wish her well.

Like every other Senator, I pay tribute to Deputy Shortall. She was a principled Minister of State and I hope that her resignation does not mean the fine work she was trying to achieve for front-line services will be lost. I was amazed at the weekend to see what was going on in my own town. I spoke to 17 year old girls and I said to them when I was their age, if girls their age drank, they would have a glass of lager. I asked why they would drink what they drink now and they told me they drink shots and naggins, and they made it clear that they do it because everyone else does it.

I also was amazed to see in my own home town that the taking of cocaine just does not appear to be a huge issue for young ones. I saw boys and girls lining up to go into the ladies' toilets. They were lining up, while bringing in their drinks, for cocaine. All these things are happening nationwide and there is almost an acceptance by the youth of today that this constitutes normal behaviour. I greatly regret that Deputy Shortall has resigned her position because she was trying to deal with this issue. I certainly hope whoever takes over the mantle will follow in her footsteps.

I join in expressing the sadness all Members feel about the resignation of her post as Minister of State by Deputy Shortall. In addition, I hope her good work on alcohol abuse is continued by whoever takes over that role. On the subject of alcohol abuse, while I do not know whether one is allowed to mention brand names in this House, I wish Heineken and Guinness were the issue with today's young people. I wish the problem was their over-consumption of pints and not, as my colleague has noted, their consumption of spirits. If I may tell a personal story, one of my daughters had a party recently and she asked me to ensure there were plenty of soft drinks. When I told her that was wonderful and I had not known so many of her friends did not drink - she is in her 20s - she replied the soft drinks were not to drink but to add to the spirits. The bottom line is that Guinness or Heineken are not the problem on the streets of Ireland today. Dare I say the problem is not Heineken, wine or Guinness but Jägerbombs and captain and Coke and because girls today aged 14 and younger are drinking vodka and gin. Consequently, I have a reservation about the way this debate goes.

However, I do not wish to discuss that issue but to ask the Leader to facilitate a more general debate in this House on taxation. One reason Members have been reluctant to tackle the issue of alcohol abuse revolves around excise duties. They have questions to ask themselves. I seek a more reflective debate in this House on taxation. The issue of property taxes has arisen during the week and certain members of the Opposition are of the view there is a massive fortune to be gained from imposing a wealth tax. While the Government is committed to a certain programme in respect of taxation, this House has shown itself capable of great reflection and deep consideration of issues faced by this country. One such issue is the level of taxation that should be levied. An excellent debate took place in the House last night on the sore and core topic of young children in end-of-life cases and the funding of their care. I noted with great sadness that a vast proportion of the funding for the care of such children comes from the charity of Irish people, not from general taxation. This society has issues on which to reflect and I ask that this House so do.