Charity urges price increase as deterrent

THE Government should bring in minimum prices for alcohol or raise taxes on it, Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) has said.

Responding to the HSE-commissioned report, the charity said the only way to reduce alcohol-related harms was to make drink more expensive.

But alcohol suppliers and manufacturers said there was “no evidence” to suggest that increasing excise duty on alcohol was an effective way of dealing with misuse, and said such a move would penalise the responsible drinkers.