Vol. 482 No. 5
12 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans, if any, she has to impose a retail prices order on the price of intoxicating liquor in relation to the recent decision of publicans to increase the price of the pint and the potential impact of this on the consumer price index; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18249/97]
I have no plans to reimpose statutory controls on the price of alcoholic drink. I refer the Deputy to the reply to the Adjournment Debate on 7 October 1997 (Cols. 104-106; Vol. 481 No. 1), when compelling reasons were advanced for the proposed revocation on 8 October of the Retail Prices (Intoxicating Liquor) Order, 1997. Principally these were that the order, which froze drink prices outside the Dublin metropolitan area at their November 1996 levels, was intended to be of a temporary nature and statutory controls, which can have uneven and unintended effects, are inconsistent with the thrust of public policy over the past ten years to foster increased and more effective price competition.
