Dr Ciara Kelly has spoken out for the first time following her shock departure from the board of the STOP Out-of-Control drinking campaign.
"I had concerns before joining the board and while I was on the board," she said on Claire Byrne Live tonight.
The resident doctor with RTE’s Operation Transformation made the decision to leave the board earlier this month, citing "time constraints"
"I did leave because of time pressures. I work probably more than I should do. And I have four kids so I have a lot of family commitments," she said on the RTE current affairs show.
However, Dr Kelly, who has regularly spoken publically on the culture of problem drinking in Ireland, said she "voiced my scepticism of the Diageo campaign but I went with it".
The anti-alcohol campaign has been recently criticised as “a smokescreen” with more than 50 individuals and organisations signing an open letter rejecting claims the initiative is truly independent.
Among the opponents are the National Youth Council of Ireland, Professor John Crown, comedian Des Bishop, folk singer Christy Moore, the Union of Students in Ireland, and former GAA president Dr Mick Loftus.
They say there is an "inherent conflict" between the commercial interests of the alcohol industry, and its involvement in initiatives to tackle over consumption.
Source: Louise Kelly, Irish Independent, 24/03/15
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