Brendan Griffin
Ceist:223. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health for his views on a matter (details provided); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 22 March 2017
Ceisteanna (223)
Freagraí scríofa
The enactment of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is included in the Programme for a Partnership Government and is a priority for Government. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill contains a suite of meaningful measures to reduce the level of harmful consumption of alcohol in Ireland and the harms caused by alcohol.
Separation and Reducing Visibility
The Bill provides for restrictions on the display, advertisement and visibility of alcohol products in mixed trade retail outlets. These provisions address concerns that alcohol is not an ordinary consumer product but a psychoactive drug that requires a licence for sale. The separation and reduced visibility of alcohol products in the manner prescribed will achieve the following objectives:
- access to alcohol products will be controlled in premises to which it applies;
- alcohol products cannot be on open display near grocery products, thereby discouraging impulse purchases and the purchase of alcohol products as part of everyday household grocery shopping;
- separate display of alcohol products or closed display in storage units will make alcohol products less visible to children and protect them from in-store marketing techniques.
The options provided for in the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill address the reasonable need for flexible implementation of the requirement to separate and reduce visibility of alcohol products in mixed trade retail outlets.
Labelling
The principle of the labelling provision is to provide consumers with information about the alcohol product and to provide health warnings. The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill provides a 3 year lead in time for the introduction of the labelling provisions. This time frame is considered to give sufficient time for manufacturers and retailers to prepare for these new provisions. The labelling provisions are necessary as part of the suite of measures to increase awareness and knowledge of the dangers posed by alcohol consumption. Research indicates that the labelling measures will be welcomed by consumers. The Health Research Board Report ‘Alcohol: Public Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours’ stated that there is strong support for more labelling on cans and bottles containing alcohol. The vast majority of those surveyed support including the number of calories (82 per cent), details of alcohol-related harms (95 per cent) and the ingredients (91 per cent) of alcohol products.
My Department considers that the suite of measures contained in the Bill are a proportionate response to address the harms caused by the misuse of alcohol and bring about a cultural shift in our attitude to alcohol. The Bill commenced Committee Stage in the Seanad on the 26 October 2016. The Bill is scheduled to return to Committee Stage in the Seanad during this session of the Oireachtas. In the interim, consideration is being given as to how best this important public health measure can be brought forward.