Sir. - The politicians are at the door. The election is upon us. This is the one opportunity in five years that the vast majority of people have to speak directly to those who hope to take power and make our laws. For years they have refused to listen to concerned parents and others, who have repeatedly called on them to take on some responsibility for the ongoing national tragedy being caused by our abuse of the drug alcohol. Our organisation Dothain, has often called on politicians, in public and in deputation, to shape up responsibly. They have done nothing.
They make much to do about the measures - the good measures - they have taken to arrest such dangers as dangerous driving, heart disease, AIDS, air, land and water pollution, tobacco smoking and the abuse of other drugs. But never a word about abuse of the drug alcohol. Why the blind spot? Worse still, why the actual favoured attitude to this abuse, such as leading politicians presiding over the opening of alcohol sponsored sports and social events? We believe that it is because of the pressure from vested interests.
Dothain asks reasonable people to use this present opportunity and to accost the politicians when they arrive at the doorstep. Put them the straight questions of concerned parents and others. And insist on real answers. We suggest the following questions: Why have you as a politician never addressed the alcohol abuse question with responsibility? A National Alcohol Policy was launched last year: what did it contain? Why has nothing practical been heard of it ever since? What have you or your party done about it? Why has no government addressed the flagrant abuse of the law in the tragic farce of underage drink abuse in general and of Saturday night discos in particulars Have you any idea of the real statistics of deaths caused in Ireland directly or indirectly by abuse of the drug alcohol?
Dothain has for long been putting these questions publicly. In all the party policy documents for the coming election we cannot find one worthwhile reference to this predominant problem in our country. We therefore ask concerned people to accost the politicians with them to let them know our concern. Listen for their answers, and having heard the answers, give you voting preferences accordingly on election day. As our Dothain motto says: "Enough is enough." - Yours etc.,
Chairman
Dothain
Committee member
Crossmolina,
Co Mayo.