Irish minister condemns online craze of 'neknominations'

Ireland's Children and Youth Affairs Minister Frances Fitzgerald on Monday condemned the online craze of "neknominations" as "not only dangerous and potentially harmful to young people." Neknominations is a social media-driven craze in which people film themselves downing alcoholic drinks before nominating friends to do the same within 24 hours. "It is evidence of our society's broader need to address our binge drinking culture," Fitzgerald said, adding that inappropriate peer pressure involved with the practice added to the risk. "Above all, it represents further evidence that we still have a long way to go in denormalising binge drinking among Irish youth," Fitzgerald said. "Young people take their cues from our broader society's general attitude to drinking, and the popularity of Neknominations shows we still have a long way to go in developing a healthy societal attitude to the consumption of alcohol," she said. Fitzgerald supported calls by Irish youth organizations and alcohol awareness groups to find effective ways to change alcohol consumption patterns..