Personal responsibility

[Tin Foil Hat]

while it might be possible in a rural setting where the owners know their customers, how exactly do you expect them to act in a city? put leg tags on addicts?

Obviously I'm only talking about publicans who know exactly what the are doing - not a barman serving a total stranger.

[Keith-M]

I disagree in that the definition would be a whim of the people who would draw up such laws. compensation for damage and costs at least can be stood over as a principle

Look at the example given. No 14 year old should be allowed to get into a position where they are D+D and have to be escorted home by the police. There should (at minimum) me a warning to the parts the first time it happens and if there's a repeat, they should be charged with neglect.

[elliebee]

More than that, the parents should be charged with child neglect.

Keith, many parents are literally tearing their hair out trying to keep an eye on their children but there are no suppot structures in place here to support them. My brother lives in England and during his late teens his son began staying out late at night and getting guffy when he came home in the small wee hours of the morning. At the end of his tether my brother rang the police and ten minutes later they were installed in the family home awaiting the late arrival of Mr Wayward himself. He promptly changed his lifestyle after a firm dressing down and an indication that the police would be "keeping an eye" out for him from then on. Needless to say my similar requests to the local gardai were met with surprise and indignation.

[Dylan2010]

Look at the example given. No 14 year old should be allowed to get into a position where they are D+D and have to be escorted home by the police. There should (at minimum) me a warning to the parts the first time it happens and if there's a repeat, they should be charged with neglect.

it would easy to come up with examples where it might work, but is having overweight kids neglect? someone not doing well in school neglect? I just done see it as the State's job to be instilling values and to chastise people when they dont obey. in the case of a kid being drunk, I dont see it as being a criminal matter but at the same time police time or A&E time should be billed to the kid and the family

[the_Observer]

Last week a young man drown in Belfast's Lagan river after drinking reduced price alcohol after a concert at Belfast's Odyssey Arena. I am in no way reflecting the comments of his family but the talking heads who are on the media.

The young fella's dad recounted how his son was throwing vodkas down one after another, priced at around £1. I've mentioned before that I worked the door for over 2 decades and I've watched the drinking culture change, among young people, over those years. I would be very much in favour of teaching kids about how to behave in a bar and how to drink from their mid teens on, that's how I and my generation learned.

Anyway, back to this case; Un such a case, how much personal responsibility should be given to those who indulge in such drinking practices and how much to the vendors who use such promotions, usually who bring in a crowd on quiet nights?

A group of friends out of the night, feeling pretty good after a few drinks. It takes experience and maturity to say 'I've had enough now' because your friends will generally treat this as a sign of weakness. So I think the OP is correct. 'Knowing when to stop' must be taught early rather than expecting a drunken horny 18 year old to become responsible overnight.

[uriah]

Parental reponsibility should come first especially if this "young fella" is under 21 and/or still living at home. Many parents now seem to thing that their reposibility ends with feeding their children (no matter if it's junk food or not) and giving them the toys they ask for. As I said before when any under 18 year old is being charged with a crime, their parents should also be in the dock.

21?
An 18 year-old is an adult and his/her parents have no right to interfere in his/her freedom/choices.

But I would agree that parents should be called to account for the misbehaviour of their under-age offspring, and the 'child' (ages 13-17)and parents should make good/pay for any damage the offspring causes or expenses they incur.

Anybody found guilty of providing/selling alcohol to under-age people should also suffer severe penalties.

If the adults in society are forced to take responsibility, our children will learn to do the same.