asked the Minister for Health if, having regard to the recently reported death of a person due to consumption of a weed killer, he will ensure that the substances in question and other poisonous liquids are clearly marked poison.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marking of Poisonous Liquids.
157.
Inquiries which I have made indicate that the weed-killer in this case had been taken from its original container, put into a wine bottle and later drunk in error.
Under existing legislation certain substances which are dangerous to health may not be sold unless labelled "poison". I am at present examining proposals submitted to me by the Poisons Council, which was established under the Poisons Act, 1961, for the control of more recently available substances, but the weed-killer which is said to have caused the death referred to by the Deputy is not listed in these proposals. This particular substance is one which is considered to be of low toxicity. There are many such substances in common use and it would not be practicable or realistic to insist that they be labelled "poison". In normal circumstances of use they present little hazard to health and, therefore, I would not feel justified in imposing statutory limitations on their availability.
The circumstances of the death in this case are to be regretted, but they are also of a nature which, I think it will be agreed, no laws or regulations could effectively obviate.