14 Márta 2012, 17:38
Minister of State with responsibility for primary care, Roisin Shortall, TD, will attend the meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children tomorrow, 15th March to discuss the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy.
Committee Chairman, Jerry Buttimer TD said: “In January this Committee launched a major report The misuse of alcohol and other drugs which called for an end to VAT refunds on below-cost sales of alcohol and for the Government to explore the option of a ban on all retail advertising relating to the discounting of alcoholic products. The report also confirmed that a majority of the Committee support moving towards introducing minimum pricing in respect of alcoholic drinks.
This report will complement the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy which was launched last month. Therefore it is timely that Minister Shortall and Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, should attend our meeting tomorrow to discuss the findings of the report and provide members with an overview of some of the evidence presented by the Steering Group on the adverse implications of alcohol on society.
It is the Committee’s belief that there is no single measure which will solve the problem of alcohol misuse. Rather, a package of measures is needed to change our attitudes towards, and behaviour regarding, the consumption of alcohol.
We would hope that the implementation of findings and recommendations from both reports will help to bring about a change in attitudes towards the misuse of alcohol by illustrating the huge personal and economic costs caused by hazardous drinking.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow, Thursday, 15th March, 11.30am in Committee Room 2, LH 2000. Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPIw
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
ENDS
Committee Membership:
Deputies
Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael
Catherine Byrne, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Ciara Conway, Labour Party
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Robert Dowds, Labour Party
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Seamus Healy, Independent
Derek Keating, Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher, Fine Fail
Eamonn Maloney, Labour Party
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fail
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Denis Naughten, Independent
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Fein
Senators
Colm Burke, Fine Gael
John Crown, Independent
David Cullinane, Sine Fein
John Gilroy, Labour Party
Imelda Henry, Fine Gael
Marc Mac Sharry, Fine Fail
Jillian Van Turnhout, Independent