Labour Minister hits out at low cost of alcohol and says ‘the time is right’ to tackle Ireland’s ‘unhealthy relationship’ with drink.
Minister of State for Primary Care Róisín Shortall has restated her commitment to address problem drinking in the Republic. The Minister said she would tackle the “unhealthy relationship” Irish people have with alcohol through a combination of higher prices, restrictions on points of sale and other measures.
Ms Shortall pointed to the dramatic reduction in the real cost of alcohol to consumers in the past decade. Declining prices and more widespread availability in major retailers had become key factors in fostering a culture of excessive alcohol consumption, she said.
“Alcohol is available at an all-time-low price, and that causes or contributes to problems associated with drinking, particularly with younger people but also with people who are problem drinkers,” she said.
Source: Conor Pope, Irish Times, 10/01/2012
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