Drugs strategy could use youths to buy alcohol.

The plan comes as an EU survey shows Ireland remains binge-drinking champion, with 44% of people saying they had five or more drinks at least once a week.

The proposal is drawn from a practice, endorsed by the High Court, in which a State agency uses juveniles to purchase cigarettes from shops and licensed premises.

A new National Substance Abuse Strategy is due to be published at the end of the year and will replace the National Drugs Strategy (NDS) 2009-2016.

Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs Pat Carey, who is responsible for the NDS, said a draft chapter on alcohol in the new strategy proposes using juveniles. "In the same way it is possible to use underage children by the Office for Tobacco Control to buy cigarettes, the suggestion is the same principle might apply in relation to alcohol, in pubs and off-licences. It’s one of the things that might be done."

The decision to include alcohol was recommended by the previous drugs strategy minister, John Curran, and had the support of medical, voluntary and community sectors, but was opposed by the alcohol industry.

The NDS 2009-2016, published last September, said: "Alcohol is a drug and intoxicant which has significant pharmacological and toxic effects, both on the mind and on almost every organ and system in the human body."

A steering group, chaired by the Department of Health and the Office for the minister for drugs, is drawing up the strategy.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Carey said the marketing and promotion of alcohol would form an important part of the strategy, but felt overhauling alcohol’s deep involvement in sport sponsorship may not happen soon.

Guinness is one of three co-sponsors of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, but was the sole sponsor previously.

The European Rugby Cup is sponsored by Heineken, but that crosses six countries. However, in France it has to be called the H-Cup because of alcohol advertising restrictions.

"Sponsorship is a huge one," said Mr Carey. "Some of the sporting bodies to be fair to them, the likes of the GAA, are doing a hell of a lot in terms of promoting greater awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol, but sponsorship is more of a long-term thing, I think."

The issue of alcohol advertising, particularly during televised sports matches, is also being examined.

Mr Carey rejected claims from drug groups that, as minister for a large and expanded department, he will not be able to devote enough time to the drugs brief.

CityWide, an umbrella body for drug projects, has demanded a full-time junior minister to drive the NDS.

Mr Carey, who was a junior minister for the NDS in 2007 and 2008, said the wide brief "would cause some difficulties", but said he had the interest and knowledge to operate the drugs portfolio.

Source: Cormac O’Keeffe and Ann Cahill, The Irish Examiner, 22/04/2010