Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2012
504 Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when Section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2008, in relation to instore separation and section 16 of the same Act, Promotional Restrictions, will be commenced and or will come into force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29340/12]
View answerPrior to enactment of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008, bodies representing the mixed trading sector proposed implementation of a voluntary code of practice with an independent audit and oversight mechanism as an alternative to section 9 of the Act. Such a code was subsequently drawn up and agreed between the mixed trading sector and the Departments of Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A new body — Responsible Retailing of Alcohol in Ireland Ltd (RRAI) — was established by the mixed trading sector to oversee implementation and Mr. Padraic White was appointed as its independent Chairperson. On receipt of Mr. White's third Compliance Report on the RRAI Code in October last, I launched a public consultation process inviting views on the Report and, more generally, on the voluntary approach to implementing structural separation of alcohol products in such premises.
Arising from the consultation process, I am not in favour of retaining the voluntary RRAI Code. The choice, therefore, lies between implementation of section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 or implementation of a statutory code of practice under section 17 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011. I expect to be in a position to seek Government approval for my proposals in relation to future arrangements for the display and sale of alcohol products in mixed trading outlets in the coming weeks.
The position regarding section 16 of the 2008 Act is that draft regulations to restrict certain alcohol promotions have been drawn up but have not been made to date pending agreement on a joint North/South approach to restricting such promotions. During discussions earlier this year with the Minister for Social Development in Northern Ireland, Nelson McCausland, MLA, we reached agreement on the need to develop a joint North/South approach to restricting such promotions and on the desirability of having the necessary arrangements in place by the end of this year.
