Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2013
192. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to ban below cost selling of alcohol; if legislation is required or if an order will be made to that effect under current legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44036/13]
View answerProposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy 2012. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including measures on access and availability of alcohol; controls on alcohol advertising and sponsorship; labelling of alcohol products, and legislation on minimum unit pricing. The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy has considered these proposals and it is intended to bring forward a finalised package of proposals for consideration by Government shortly. In the meantime, work on developing a framework for the necessary Department of Health legislation is continuing.
Minimum unit pricing is a mechanism of imposing a statutory floor in price levels per gram of alcohol that must be legally observed by retailers in both the on and off trade sector. A health impact assessment, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, is being commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing. The assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact.
The provision of such a price measure for alcohol - as opposed to fiscal measures - is aimed chiefly at preventing the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. A minimum pricing regime is a proportional policy exigency that allows the State to engage another parameter to deal with managing the supply of alcohol for the purpose of preventing its misuse. It is a policy aimed at those who drink in a harmful and hazardous manner.
