Sir, – The nearest many of your contributors come to addressing the core issue of alcohol abuse is to describe it as a matter of culture. In that case it would be better addressed through education, not by way of penalty. It is unjust to visit the sins of the minority on the innocent majority but accepting that would be expecting too much of a politician. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL CARROLL,
Ennis,
Co Clare.
Sir, – Tom Finn (December 15th) writes that alcohol consumption is entirely discretionary. Not so for those battling addiction.
In addition, we must bear in mind the fiscal, personal and societal costs of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders because the manifestations of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure are not always, or even often, being connected to cause. The magnitude of the issue is not helped by under-recognition and underdiagnosis and is not reflected in this modest minimum pricing plan. – Yours, etc,
MICHELE SAVAGE,
Dublin 12.