Alcoholic drinks will carry calorie counts, health warnings, and a minimum price floor under a wide-ranging Government bid to combat abuse.
Health Minister Leo Varadkar denied that the Cabinet was “spineless” for abandoning moves towards stopping drinks giants sponsoring sporting events.
Mr Varadkar said he expected the ban on below-cost-selling to come into force after the outcome of European challenges to a similar move in Scotland, expected this November.
The long-delayed Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will force calorie counts and health-warning labelling on alcoholic drinks in a bid to promote healthier consumption.
Television advertising will only be allowed after a certain time of night, as any marketing appealing to children will be banned.
Mr Varadkar said price controls were essential in the bid to combat binge drinking by setting a price floor.
“That is designed to get rid of very low, cheap alcohol that is being sold in our supermarkets, which is fuelling binge drinking, particularly among young people. Most Irish adults drink too much and many drink dangerously,” Mr Varadkar said, insisting that Ireland needed to reduce its alcohol consumption to the OECD average by 2020.
Souce: Shaun Connolly, Irish Examiner, 04/02/15
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