State plans minimum prices for alcohol

MINIMUM prices for alcohol and curbs on advertising and sponsorship are planned under a government strategy.

Roisín Shortall, the junior minister with responsibility for primary care, told an Oireachtas Committee yesterday the use of alcohol was a “terrible blight on society”.

Revealing the likely proposals of the forthcoming national substance misuse strategy, Ms Shortall said:

* She was “personally committed” to introducing minimum pricing, if the legal advice backed it.

* The national strategy would set targets to reduce alcohol consumption levels across the population.

* She was “determined” to end the practice of alcohol being sold alongside normal goods, saying she was “not satisfied” with a voluntary industry code.

* The strategy would address sponsorship and advertising of alcohol, including outdoor advertising.

* A new message would be sent to gardaí to fully enforce the laws on underage drinking, as she was not satisfied there was adequate enforcement.

In an address to the Oireachtas health committee, Ms Shortall gave her clearest and strongest views on alcohol since she took over the drugs brief as minister for primary care.

“Alcohol is a major problem in this country,” the north Dublin deputy told the joint committee.

“As a society we need to face up to it. As a society we drink too much.”

She told the committee she wanted cross party support to back the new strategy to “remove this terrible blight on society” in terms of the “damage alcohol has done to individuals, families and the health of Irish people”.

Dr Eamon Keenan, HSE consultant psychiatrist and member of the substance misuse strategy steering committee, objected to the alcohol industry’s presence on the committee.

“On the national drugs strategy steering committee we didn’t have drug pushers at the table. On the national substance misuse committee we have representatives of the drinks industry at the table.”