This Report does not adopt a puritanical prohibitionist attitude to drinking alcohol. The members of the Committee recognise that many people sensibly enjoy alcohol and its use as a social stimulant and means of relaxation.

But what this report does do is recognise that many Irish people under the age of 18 regularly consume alcohol, even though this is illegal. It also recognises that many young people, both under and over the age of 18, consume alcohol to excess and that the word ‘sensibly’ could not possibly be used to accurately describe the ‘binge drinking’ that many engage in.