A ban on all alcohol advertising and on new "superpubs" are two measures Fine Gael has said it would introduce to tackle youth alcohol abuse in Ireland.
The party has also called for the installation of CCTV cameras inside and outside all nightclubs.
However, although Fine Gael would like to see increased penalties for pubs, clubs and off-licences that sell alcohol to underage drinkers, the party says it would be impossible in terms of Garda manpower to police existing legislation requiring publicans to run an orderly house with no drunkenness on the premises.
Launching a 10-point action plan to combat alcohol abuse, party leader Mr Enda Kenny said if urgent action is not taken Ireland risks losing a generation of young people.
"What kind of society do we have when our sons and daughters, our grandchildren, our brothers and sisters cannot travel home at night without a gang of aggressive drunks beating them to a pulp, just for the hell of it? What kind of society do we have when a third of our 15- to 16-year-olds are current and regular binge drinkers?" asked Mr Kenny.
Mr John Deasy - Fine Gael spokesperson on justice, equality and law reform - said the Government had done nothing to deal with alcohol abuse since coming into power. He said alcohol abuse cost the state 2.4 billion every year.
Fine Gael's key action points include:
- Implementing total ban on all alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion
- Reverting to previous pub opening hours i.e. 11.30 p.m. closing time
- Reducing the maximum blood/alcohol level to zero for provisional drivers and 0.5 mg for all other drivers.
- Reducing demand through schemes at school and communitylevelMr Deasy concluded: "Irish society must be prepared to face hard decisions if we are to tackle the scourge of alcohol abuse, especially amongst our young people".