Sir, – While it may be opined (Sheena Horgan, "It is a mistake to focus on alcohol in the night-time economy debate", Opinion & Analysis, October 1st) that Ireland may have a particular history with alcohol use, it is equally clear that the "cultural and social norms" discussed are largely fabricated, and certainly sustained, by pernicious marketing strategies of the alcohol retailers, producers and distributors.
Over two generations, Ireland’s alcohol use has greatly expanded and the related harms accelerated.
This is neither presumptive nor prejudicial but merely a reality. In fact, for every market-led development that has expanded alcohol’s availability, whether by judicial relaxation that quadrupled the issuing of special exemption orders in 1970s, or the political wisdom that granted a five-fold increase of off-licence retailing, including bringing alcohol into petrol stations, Irish society has incurred a very significant cost.
Perhaps a willingness to debate the consequences of the path now to be chosen is the change that is required. – Yours, etc,
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EUNAN McKINNEY,
Head of Communications
and Advocacy ,
Alcohol Action Ireland,
Dublin 7.