Varadkar backs base price for alcohol

Transport and Sports Minister Leo Varadkar has indicated that he is supportive of measures to tackle alcohol misuse which could include a ban on drink companies sponsoring major sport events.

Mr Varadkar also said yesterday that he agreed with proposals for minimum pricing on drink.

The measures form part of the Government’s action plan for addressing alcohol misuse.

Junior health minister Alex White has circulated a memo to other ministers about the measures, which are expected to come before the Cabinet for approval later this month.

The legislative proposals would outlaw all drink sponsorship of large sports events by 2020 and ban new sponsorship contracts by 2016, according to reports.

However, arts and culture festivals will be exempt from the ban. Several music and theatre festivals in Ireland are currently sponsored by drinks groups.

It is understood the Government’s alcohol strategy will still allow drinks companies and pubs to continue their sponsorship of grassroots sports events and local teams and clubs.

The action plan will introduce a minimum floor price for drink to prevent cheap beer and spirit promotions in supermarkets.

Mr Varadkar yesterday said he, in the main, approved of the alcohol strategy.

“I’m very supportive of the vast majority of Minister White’s proposals, particularly with minimum pricing, because we’ve a big problem in Ireland with cheap alcohol, and also with education and the codes of conduct.”

However, he said the whole idea of advertising and sponsorship of events was “quite complicated”.

He admitted Mr White had modified his proposals.

He said that alcohol consumption in Ireland was falling. He said one government department study showed that drinking levels among young people had declined. However, the level of drink taken by young people had in fact increased in France where alcohol sponsorship of sporting events is banned.

The Government is currently undertaking a major study of how much alcohol we consume, how often we go to the pub, and who we drink with, as it prepares to consider the alcohol misuse measures.

The drinking habits of 5,000 people are being surveyed in face-to-face interviews for the Health Research Board.