Madam, - Your Editorial of May 29th rightly criticises official inaction over Ireland's alcohol problem. The Strategic Task Force on Alcohol is still the principal document in this area. Under the outgoing Government it gathered a record amount of shelf dust for a State-sponsored initiative. A change of policy is justified given the loss of nine seats by the Government and a poor showing by the Minister for Health's party.
The three pillars of price, promotion and availability still need serious action. Fianna Fáil's manifesto committed the party to ending alcohol ads on TV before 9pm. This and other measures should be firmly on the agenda for negotiations for a programme for government. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL McLOUGHLIN, Director, Central Services, Youth Work Ireland, Dublin 1.