Question to the Minister for Health (Dr. Leo Varadkar, TD)
To ask the Minister for Health the range of measures being considered for inclusion in the public health (alcohol) Bill; when the general scheme of the Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
For WRITTEN ANSWER on date: Wednesday, 14 January 2015.
REPLY
The Government has approved an extensive package of measures to deal with alcohol misuse to be incorporated in a Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. These measures are based on the recommendations contained in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Misuse Strategy, 2012. The package of measures to be implemented will include provision for minimum unit pricing, regulation of the marketing and advertising of alcohol, regulation of sports sponsorship, and structural separation of alcohol from other products in mixed trading outlets and labelling of alcohol products. Work on developing a framework for the necessary Department of Health legislation is continuing and is hoped to publish a General Scheme of a Bill early this year.