It’s time for parents to face facts

REPORTS that two teenagers almost died after drinking a huge quantity of alcohol again highlight Ireland’s dysfunctional relationship with booze.

Hospital consultant Dr Chris Luke described the incident involving up to a dozen students as “jaw-dropping”.

Can there be another country in the world where a field hospital would need to be set up to deal with victims of alcohol abuse attending what was a booze-free kids’ disco?

These youngsters arrived at the event in a highly-intoxicated state and Bandon Rugby Club did everything possible to help them.

It was more than obvious they had been drinking and naggins of spirits were found hidden in pupils’ socks.

The question that must be asked is how and where these underage youths got the booze.

It’s well-documented that alcohol abuse is putting added pressure on our already overstretched health service.

The country is facing a huge addiction crisis and with drink being abused at such a young age it would seem there is little hope of change.

But the Government can only do so much. The real responsibility rests with parents.

They must face the fact their sons and daughters are drinking to excess and ask themselves what are they, and not the State, going to do about it.