Enda Kenny HAS weighed in on the growing debate surrounding this Thursday’s Arthur’s Day festival.

Asked today by Labour TD Robert Dowds if he supported a boycott of the campaign by Guinness manufacturer Diageo.

However, the Taoiseach said that Ireland’s problems with alcohol go far beyond one Thursday’s indulgences.

“It doesn’t take any particular day to have an impact on the situation in Ireland’s accident and emergency departments,” said Kenny.

“One only has to look at the fact that any time, 2,000 beds are taken up in our health system because of the consequences of drink for validation of that.”

Kenny went on to say that Ireland’s drinking culture is something that will have to be examined.