Ministers are ‘playing politics with alcohol’

The Government has sent a clear message to the drinks industry that their interests are being protected by putting the alcohol action plan on the “back burner”, community and voluntary groups have said.

Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign and the National Voluntary Drug Sector called on government ministers to “stop playing politics” with the alcohol problem.

The comments came after the Cabinet deferred consideration of the action plan on alcohol, drafted by drugs strategy minister Roisín Shortall, until September.