Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 December 2021
166. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health when section 12, 13,18 and 19 of the Public Health Alcohol Act 2018 will be enacted which includes labelling of alcohol products, content of advertisements, advertisements in publications and the broadcast watershed;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59151/21]
View answerThe Public Health (Alcohol) Act was enacted in October 2018 and to date 26 of its 31 provisions have been commenced. The full implementation of the Act remains a priority for this Government.
Sections 12 and 13 of the Act relate to labelling of alcohol products and to the content of advertisements for alcohol products respectively. These sections cannot be commenced until regulations under those sections have been made.
Draft regulations under Section 12 of the Act have been developed and are currently with the Office of the Attorney General for settling. Draft regulations under Section 13 are currently being developed by my Department. Following finalisation of the draft regulations they must both be submitted to the European Commission for assessment as to whether they are in alignment with Single Market principles.
The commencement of Section 18 which addresses alcohol advertisements in publications is subject to the commencement of all other advertising sections of the Act.
Section 19 of the Act provides for a broadcast watershed for alcohol advertisements on television and radio. It has not yet been commenced as it requires further engagement on compliance and enforcement issues with the Environmental Health Service of the HSE and the Broadcast Authority of Ireland.
Work on commencement of these remaining sections of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act was suspended throughout 2020 and much of 2021 due to resources being diverted to COVID-19 related areas; that work has now restarted.
