ALEX McDONNELL,
Madam, - There were two separate but related reports in your edition of October 17th which were illuminating to people working with the homeless in Britain and Ireland. Your report from the alcohol conference at the International Financial Services Centre highlighted the increased use of alcohol, particularly among young people, while a story on the same page told of a man who was attacked while he slept in a doorway after a drinking binge.
Such attacks are becoming common in London. For example, a homeless Irishman was killed recently by a gang of youths in Camden Town who set alight to his car while he was asleep inside it. Alcohol is a factor in these cases because many homeless people have alcohol dependency issues if not drug or mental health problems. Young people target them because they are vulnerable and in some cases because they see themselves as vigilantes "cleaning up their neighbourhood", as was the case in Camden.
Alcohol use is a central part of our culture and there is no easy solution to such problems, although health warnings and restrictions on cheap super-strength beers and ciders would be of benefit. The "supers" are not yet prevalent in Ireland and campaigners should work to make sure they do not gain widespread access to the market as they are destroying lives, particularly Irish lives, here in Britain.
What the State can do is provide accommodation for homeless drinkers. This has been a bone of contention in Ireland where services still maintain a strictly "dry" policy. Alcoholism is an illness and sufferers should not be punished by withdrawing the most basic human rights from them. In Britain, "wet" hostels can provide a roof for homeless drinkers, but also counseling, care and access to rehabilitation. - Yours, etc.,
ALEX McDONNELL, Aisling project London Irish Centre, London NW1.