First Drink at the age of 11

Tuesday 11 March 08

Research by the Health Promotion Agency and Queen's University suggests that many children in Northern Ireland have their first drink at 11.

It says they get this from both friends as well as their parents.

Another problem is that many parents are "unaware" of the drinking law when it comes to letting their children drink alcohol. The Health Promotion Agency's Victoria Creasey said anyone "buying an underage person alcohol can incur a £5,000 fine or a six-month prison sentence".

"What we did find is that parents are more concerned about the personal safety of their children, so they will buy their children alcohol so they can drink it at home in the house where the parent can keep an eye on them," said Ms Creasey.

"That's obviously a concern for us as drinking when you're under 18 carries particular risks with it."