Irish teenagers believe lowering the legal age for drinking alcohol to 16 would help to solve the problem of alcohol misuse among young people.
This view is contained in a report launched by the Minister for Children Brendan Smith today which sought teenagers’ opinions on how to solve the issue of binge drinking.
'There was a strong feeling that preventing people of under 18 from drinking alcohol creates a lot of the 'buzz' around getting drunk, whereas if it was possible to go to the pub and be social, this 'buzz' would be greatly diminished - Niamh Chapman (17)
257 young people between the ages of 12 and 18 were consulted during October 2007. Participants were broadly representative of gender, age and social background and were interviewed at five locations throughout the country.
Four dominant themes emerged from the consultations. As well as reducing the legal age for drinking alcohol to 16, teenagers want an updated and effectively enforced ID system for young people, age-appropriate and improved education programmes and the provision of youth cafés and other alcohol-free facilities for teenagers.
Niamh Chapman (17) said the vast majority of participants believed young people should be allowed to drink limited quantities of alcohol in pubs from the age of 16.
'There was a strong feeling that preventing people of under 18 from drinking alcohol creates a lot of the 'buzz' around getting drunk, whereas if it was possible to go to the pub and be social, this 'buzz' would be greatly diminished,” she said.
“Evidence from countries such as France and Portugal proves that a drinking age of 16 does not have to result in a high rate of binge-drinking.'
Participants proposed the introduction of an ID card for 16-21 year-olds with a permitted allowance of alcohol according to age.
• 16-18 year olds would be permitted 2 drinks of beer or wine.
• 18-21 year olds would be permitted 3 or 4 drinks, including spirits.
The ID card would be connected to a central computerised system linked to paying for drinks.
Orla Cosgrove (15) said there wasn’t enough education about alcohol at school“Participants want age-appropriate education programmes on alcohol, delivered by experts like counsellors, doctors, youth workers and former alcohol misusers ratherthan teachers,' she said.
David Jordan (16) claimed teenagers wanted stricter enforcement of ID checks, stricter punishment for using fake ID and a serious effort to stop adults and older teenagers buying alcohol for teenagers.