Sir, - I have read the comments on my letter of December 23rd, dealing with the unveiling of a memorial to deceased drug addicts in north Dublin's inner city by our President, and I have no quarrel with them other than to emphasise that the point I was making has been misunderstood. It cannot be denied that persons who possess illegal drugs either for their own use or for sale are committing criminal offences, and on being convicted by a court will be branded as criminals. This may be regrettable, but it is a fact.
The possession and consumption of alcoholic liquor is not a criminal offence unless other relevant circumstances prevail, e.g. drunk and incapable in a public place; drunk and disorderly in a public place; driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol in the blood. Addiction to alcohol in this country is very common, and there are many deaths as a result of it. Far too many. A death from alcohol addiction is as traumatic and regrettable as a death from drug addiction.
By unveiling a memorial to deceased drug addicts our President, whom I greatly respect, established a precedent which suggests that in the future she or one of her successors will unveil a memorial to deceased alcoholics. This seems very silly to me.
At the risk of repeating myself, I think President McAleese was poorly advised with regard to this particular unveiling ceremony. - Yours, etc.,
W.G.A. Scott, Friars Hill, Wicklow.