Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has described the range of measures announced on Tuesday to reduce alcohol consumption as the most far reaching yet to curb the misuse of alcohol.
Responding to criticisms from Independent TD Róisín Shortall on Wednesday who said the measures did not go far enough, Mr Varadkar said it was the first time the Government was dealing with problem drinking through public health legislation rather than through licensing and justice legislation.
“We’ve had four years of talking about this, including under Minister Shortall’s remit and nothing was actually done,” he said. “With only one year left in Government I decided what we should do is press ahead with the most effective measures and do them now, implement them, get a result and then it is agreed we’ll review progress in a few years time again.”
“I have been listening to the various criticisms. It’s a combination of you’re going too far from some people ... And you’re not going far enough (from others). That’s the nature of [introducing] any package of measures.”
The measures involve restrictions on the sale of cheap drink and warning labels on bottles and cans.
There will also be legal regulation of sports sponsorship for the first time, though there will be no ban on sponsorship by the drinks industry. Advertising restrictions will be introduced.
Source: Aoife Carr, Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times, 04/02/15
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