In February 2013 Galway Healthy Cities Alcohol Forum launched its strategy to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm in Galway City between 2013 and 2017.¹ The Forum includes representatives from HSE West, the Western Drugs and Alcohol Task Force, Galway–Roscommon Education and Training Board, An Garda Síochána, Galway City Council, Galway City Public Participatory Network and National University of Ireland Galway.

On 8 October 2015 the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr James Reilly TD, launched the National youth strategy 2015–2020.¹ Ireland’s first-ever youth strategy, it sets out the government’s aim and objectives for young people aged 10 to 24 years, so that they can be active and healthy, achieve their full potential in learning and development, be safe and protected from harm, have economic security and opportunity, and be connected and contribute to their world. The strategy focuses particularly on young people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, the poorest outcomes.

In 2013 the Irish government established a working group to examine the regulation of sponsorship by alcohol companies of major sporting events. The working group reported its findings in December 2014.Comprised of representatives from several government departments, the working group was asked to ‘consider the value, evidence, feasibility and implications (including the public health consequences for children and young people and the financial impact on sporting organisations) of regulating sponsorship by alcohol companies of major sporting events’ and ‘to consider alternative sources of funding for sporting organisations to replace potential lost revenue arising from any such regulation’. Following an initial analysis of the relevant available information and identifying information gaps, the group formulated a set of questions with a view to gathering evidence to facilitate a complete understanding of the issue. These questions were sent to key stakeholders. Main findings of the group were as follows.