Total Catholic

In a week that saw new powers come into force that allow Gardaí to target alcohol sales and public drinking, a Limerick priest has said the issues which are driving young people to abuse alcohol must be urgently addressed.

Fr Joe Young, chaplain to the Brothers of Charity Services in Limerick, said he "welcomed with open arms" the new laws, which mean off-licences will not be able to sell alcohol after 10pm.

In additon, Gardaí will be allowed to seize alcohol from minors if they believe it is going to be consumed outside of a private home and will also be allowed to hand out fixed penalty fines for public order offences.

"I certainly welcome the measures because I believe 90 per cent of the problems we have in today's Ireland come from a society in denial about alcohol abuse," Fr Young said.

"This denial is a multi-generational problem. Alcohol isn't being seen as a mood-altering drug or as a depressant."

The priest said he believed alcohol was the main contributor in the many suicides committed by young people.

"We must address the issues driving young people to use alcohol. In a lot of cases, depression is number one, especially if they come from a dysfunctional home. When young people are depressed, they self-medicate with alcohol but of course it only compounds the problem." Fr Young added.

"One of the problems associated with depression is the sense of isolation, the feeling that nobody understands or cares. In Limerick, we've just had a 15-year-old girl commit suicide.

"With all our technology, I don't believe we've ever had so much loneliness. We need to address the issue of depression in young people and destroy the stigma that's still associated with it."

Fr Young said he recently called on Limerick Mayor John Gilligan to set up a sanctuary in the city where young people could "share, in a safe environment, whatever is going on in their lives".