FINE GAEL SENATOR Catherine Noone said yesterday that Ireland needs to do a lot more to combat the problem of alcohol abuse, urging the country to adopt the Icelandic model in tackling the issue among young people.

She said in a statement: “In Iceland the government reduced the reducing visibility and availability of alcohol. They increased the legal drinking age to 20 years and put a ban on alcohol and tobacco advertisements.”

Her comments come on the back of a new study which placed Irish women as among the heaviest drinkers in a table of over 100 countries.

So, what do you think? Should the legal drinking age (currently 18) be raised to 20?

Senator Noone contacted us today to clarify: “I highlighted that the Icelandic model has been very successful in reducing problem drinking. While I agree with many measures used in Iceland I do not support raising the legal drinking age. I was merely highlighting all of the measures used and starting a debate on it. I think Ireland could usefully adopt some of theses measures but, if we do so, there is no requirement to adopt the Icelandic model wholesale.”

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