'Too much' pocket money fuels teendrinking - Hanna

But at least one local representative, while supprting the motion, voiced his opinion that a siezeable slice of the problem was being caused by parents giving their children too much pocket money.

Alderman Sam Hanna told his colleagues:“When I was a young boy, I went out with my pockets empty.”

Put forward at last Monday night’s monthly meeting of the local authority by Cllr Beth Adger, a self-confessed life-long teetotaller, and seconded by Cllr. Tommy Nicholl, it read: “That this council recognises the important work carried out by a large number of people throughout the borough to reduce under-age drinking and calls for increased joined-up, inter-agency working across Ballymena to deal with this matter in the years ahead”.

Addressing the meeting further on the issue, Mrs Adger added: “I know a lot is done in our town for our youth but we are not targeting the ones who meet up and go binge drinking. Young people as young as 11-12 years of age are getting drunk and ending up in hospital to get their stomachs pumped.

“I’m not putting the blame on parents because as a parent myself I know that you cannot lock them all in until they reach 18. What I am saying is the blame should be put on the people who buy and supply the drink.

“I know it is easy for an older person to go in and buy it for them...surely anybody with any wit would say ‘no’”.

Mrs Adger said that enforcement agencies must be better funded “so they can carry out their duties in checking premises that are serving alcohol to minors. Anyone found breaking the law should have their licence revoked and a large penalty enforced”.

She also suggested more programmes for schools and youth clubs to make young people more aware of the dangers of alcohol abuse.

A number of councillors expressed the belief that the availability of cheap alcohol in supermarkets was adding to the trend.

One with that view was Cllr John Carson who admitted to the meeting that he had “a drink problem” at the age of 21.

“I know the heartache it causes to a family. - My mother often sat by the fire at night wondering where I was,” said the Councillor who added that he had long overcome alcohol and had not taken a drink in almost 30 years.

Cllr Paul Frew said that Ballymena Parades Forum was a shining example of what could be done, pointing out that they, with the support of bands and the police, “had got the message out to young people and they have taken that guidance”.