11 Mar 2015, 17:54
A prominent international expert on unit cost pricing of alcohol will appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children tomorrow as part of its series of public hearings on the Heads of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.
11 March 2015
Dr. John Holmes is a lead researcher at the University of Sheffield’s Alcohol Research Group, and has international expertise on alcohol policy and the impact of price on drinking behaviour. He will be accompanied by University of Sheffield colleague Colin Angus.
He has previously briefed parliaments in Scotland and Westminster on similar measures designed to curb excessive drinking.
Committee Chairman Jerry Buttimer TD says that the Committee is fortunate to have Dr Holmes attend tomorrow’s session. “Our Committee has already received a significant number of submissions in relation to the Heads of the proposed Bill from a variety of perspectives, including physicians, youth groups, trade organisations and people affected by alcohol misuse. Dr Holmes has led valuable international research in this area so tomorrow’s meeting will be a valuable opportunity to assess the impact of similar measures in other countries.”
The meeting will commence at 11:20 am tomorrow Thursday 12 March in Committee Room 2, LH 2000. It will be preceded by a Committee session on the ongoing costs of prescription drugs (see separate press release).
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership:
Deputies: Jerry Buttimer (Chair), Catherine Byrne, Ciara Conway (Vice-Chair), Regina Doherty, Robert Dowds, Peter M Fitzpatrick, Seamus Healy, Billy Kelleher, Eamonn Maloney, Clare Daly, Sandra McLellan, Dan Neville, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Robert Troy
Senators: Colm Burke, John Crown, John Gilroy, Imelda Henry, Marc Mac Sharry and Jillian Van Turnhout