I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 470 together.
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill remains a Government priority and a date of 26 October has been set for Committee Stage of the Bill in the Seanad.
The aim of the Bill is to reduce consumption to the OECD average by 2020 (i.e. 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita) and the harms caused by alcohol. This is part of a suite of measures agreed by the Government in 2013 on foot of the recommendations in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. The Bill is one of a number of measures being taken under the Healthy Ireland Framework.
The Bill includes the following main provisions:
- minimum unit pricing;
- health labelling of alcohol products;
- the regulation of advertising and sponsorship of alcohol products;
- the regulation of sponsorship;
- structural separation of alcohol products in mixed trading outlets; and
- the regulation of the sale and supply of alcohol in certain circumstances.