I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 to 604, inclusive, together.
The National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group reported in February of this year and it made a range of important recommendations in order to deal with the persistent problem of alcohol misuse in Ireland; and in this regard, it recommended that a social responsibility levy on the drinks industry and that a minimum unit price per gram of alcohol be provided for in legislation. Work on the latter regime is being progressed in conjunction with Northern Ireland; preparations are well underway to tender jointly for a health impact assessment to be carried out - a measure that would be key to underpinning any regime of minimum unit pricing given the prospects for such a policy to be challenged. As minimum unit pricing is a mechanism of imposing a statutory floor in price levels for alcohol products that must be legally observed by retailers, its primary function would be thus to discourage at risk levels of alcohol consumption. Moreover, and arising from the Armagh conference, a North South Alcohol Forum has been initiated and has already met for the purposes of developing areas of work to be elaborated.
The Deputy's question relating to the inclusion of alcohol on the agenda of Ireland's Presidency is indeed pertinent given that the prospect for a new European Union Strategy on Alcohol is being discussed at European Union level. Ireland is actively participating in this discussion.
My Department is developing concrete proposals on the basis of the recommendations of the report of the National Substance Misuse Strategy Steering Group - including the recommendations on a social responsibility levy on the drinks industry and a regime of minimum unit pricing; and these are being prepared for the purposes of submitting them to Government at the earliest opportunity for the consideration and approval of the Cabinet. While this work is continuing, the prospects for encompassing work on alcohol during the tenure of Ireland's Presidency are against the backdrop of many competing priorities on the health agenda.While, I am conscious of the need to develop proposals on the basis of the National Substance Misuse Strategy to reduce alcohol consumption in Ireland, there are no plans at this stage to organise an event on alcohol during Ireland's Presidency.