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THE LONG-DELAYED Public Health Alcohol has finally passed through the Dáil this evening, after more than 1,000 days of debate.
The wide-ranging piece of legislation was first published in 2015, and provides for changes such as minimum pricing on alcohol, restrictions on advertising and stark warning labels on alcohol products.
A range of amendments were proposed at the various stages of the Bill as it went through the Dáil and Seanad, before it was finally passed in the Dáil today.
Speaking in the Dáil this evening, Health Minister Simon Harris praised advocates who had supported the legislation, and said it would bring about huge change in Ireland.
“This is the first time in the history of our State we have endeavoured to use public health legislation to address issues in relation to alcohol, so it is therefore a groundbreaking measure,” Harris said.
We are legislating for alcohol as it affects our health… we know we have a relationship with alcohol in this country that is not good, that damages our health, that harms our community. This will help to change the culture of drinking in Ireland over a period of time.
The Bill is a landmark piece of legislation for the government, with the minister stating in the past that he is determined the new law will achieve its policy objectives of reducing alcohol consumption and the harms caused by the misuse of alcohol.
Other provisions of the Bill include the separation and reduced visibility of alcohol products in mixed trading outlets and the regulation of the sale and supply of alcohol in certain circumstances.
In a statement, Alcohol Action Ireland said it looks forward to the Bill being enacted in the near future.
“Soon, Ireland will commence the implementation of the Bill; the measures as designed, when implemented coherently and cohesively, and in a timely manner, will make a significant difference, over time, to reducing Ireland’s excessive alcohol consumption, altering our drinking culture and ultimately protect our children,” it said.
With reporting from Christina Finn
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Nanny state. If only adults could look after themselves! Fewer and fewer reasons for me to stay here as a young adult.
@Sean Murphy: Exactly Sean. Why have we still got a bar in the Dail? Are these people not suppose to lead by example. Nah, my mistake forgot they are elite and above us, the great unwashed. Shows really the absolute disconnect from the people.
@Dave.: get elected and you too can enjoy the Dail bar. have a wash first.
@Dermot Lane: Wash and a pint, and the 100k salary. Sign me up my good man.
@Sean Murphy: off ya go then, pal
@Sean Murphy: ‘Nanny state’ what an idiot you must be
@Dave.: ah Dave don’t you know drinking in the dail is fine. This new legislation is only to reduce POOR people’s drinking.
@sb: it is nanny state
@Sean Murphy: on this issue it’s not nanny state. Unfortunately the simple fact of the matter is too many people are irresponsible when it comes to alcohol. If consumptoon of alcohol was one of your reasons for staying then I think you should spend more time worrying about your priorities and less time worrying about a nanny state.
@Gerard Smith: but yet year after year EU satistics show were we drink less per capita than the Germans, French, Dutch, British. The difference here is perception as most Irish people drink in public. Aka the pub.
@Gerard Smith: where did I say it was a main reason?
@Sean Murphy: A simple spreadsheet exercise shows that a thousand days represents far more than three years work for TD’s (Holidays’n'all). So, considering there are 158 of them on 100K per year, this is the single most expensive piece of legislation ever to be passed in this Republic and it is intended to get people back into pubs like Healy Rae’s. If only those millions could be invested in solving problems for the people.
This is a disgraceful piece of legislation that will punish those of us who drink responsibly, the politicians and do gooders pushing it through have zero evidence to back up anything in it.
Our consumption has been dropping year over year since 2005.
Anyone claiming this will do anything to impact problem drinkers doesnt understand anything about addiction. If they really wanted to help addicts and offset the cost to our health services they would not be doing this as it will add basically no new income to the public coffers to help fund the health services or addiction services.
Also lets not forget this public health alcohol bill will not affect in anyway the largest sector of the alcohol service industry,the publicans and vintners who have been promised this by FG since 2011
@Ian McNally: this a thousand times. Well said.
@Ian McNally: Exactly. No evidence that this will work at all. Plenty of evidence that banning alocohol advertisement is effective in reducing demand but that doesn’t fit in with parish pump politics
Which basically means they will be getting increased revenue in taxes…
@Charles Coughlan: nope there will be no tax benefit all the increase is pocketed by sellers
@Ian McNally: vat!
@Niall Power: indeed the vast majority still goes to the sellers though
@Ian McNally: not true Ian….. If the price went for example from €1 per bottle of beer to €2 per bottle of beer the government would pocket the extra 23% Vat on the extra €1 and also the tax the off licence owner will pay on the extra profit…. Lots more in the government coffers
Newry it is!
Fine Gael neoliberal for health care, housing, industrial disputes but love state intervention so people don’t drink Fanta and Guinness.
@WinstonSmith: Fanta and Guinness?? Worst cocktail idea Ever!
Ironically the politicians were drunk discussing the bill. Close the Dail bars.
@Ciarān: and it took over 1000 hours, guessing Brian Cowan must have been there singing the offaly rover again
They have minimum pricing in Norway,
It does not work,
Young people still binge and spend crazy prices on alcohol,
Older, serious drinkers brew their own , often poisonous ‘moonshine,
In the Dail the politician publicans got behind this to drive people back to the pubs,
It won’t work,
ASDA selling 36 bottles of coors light for £21,
Guess where I’m heading,
@Melanie Tournier:
Your probably right…. but Coors light….? :-)
Another ineffective stealth tax. Tesco, Asda and off licences along the border say thanks very much.
Newry for Christmas it is so!
If you were cynical you would think this bill was designed to sock it to the supermarkets and a ploy to get people back to our overpriced pubs. But for that to be true it mean collusion between publicans and politicians, and we all know that would never happen
Another Government tax on poor people, politicians on 2 grand a week won’t notice a few euro on the price of a bottle of wine but for people working on the minimum wage it’s another tax and don’t tell me it’s a health measure, most of our continental neighbors have much cheaper alcohol and don’t seem to suffer the kind of problems we have with drink in this country.
Just bought a bottle of wine in a bar in Majorca for €12. Just another tax. We all know drinking to excess is a no no. Ireland is the 2nd most expensive country in Europe for alcohol. Definitely any excuse to raise indirect taxes.
And the very people making these decisions just happened to be the biggest bunch of freeloading pissheads in the country with their own private bar..
Hopefully the electorate return the compliment.
@tommytukamomo: A pox on them, and a pox on this Bill
They’ll all be in the Dail bar celebrating tonight
Government not worried about our health
It’s more tax for them
That’s all
I’m actually happy about this. Could spell the end for FFG.
Roll on Cars and Booze in the North ! Great economics there.
So price is going up I take it…
Filling stations shouldn’t be selling alcohol of any kind. Government should reduce the tax on fuel so the retailer can get more per litre than the reported 3 or 5 cent.
@brendan H: Why shouldn’t petrol stations not sell alcohol?
@Decko Kelly: watch those double negatives there, Decko. You’re actually asking the opposite of what you intend. Do you not know what I don’t never not mean?
@Jumperoo: haha. Sorry. I’ll just put the phone down until the match is over.
Multitasking doesn’t always work.
@Decko Kelly: Au contraire. Multi tasking doesn’t never not work for me.
Nanny state.
Nothing passed in Dail will effect those in the Dail. Mostly enrich them in fact. People seeing so as of late and FFGs time is nigh…
Cost more to go out sober and have a 7up or non alcoholic drink than to go out and get pissed. Sort that out.
Another reason to leave this country.
Between this and welfare increases in the next budget the middle class is hit once again. FG don’t deserve your vote remember this at the polls. This will increase the price on all alcohol across the board because premium drinks will increase to keep the cost differential between them and the cheaper stuff. Everything more expensive. Disgusting government, protectionism for vinters and goes against all the stats of lower consumption including our teenagers who drink least regularly out of all of Europe. Pure protectionism
I fiking hate this country day by day not because I’m ashamed to be Irish which I’m far from only because of these rentboys we have living it up and laugh g at the nation
@James Colgan: I agree James!
This is a joke, it wont do anything for addicts, they will still find a way to drink, will just impact their families more financially. A recent study showed that Irish teenagers are near the bottom of the table for alcohol consumption in Europe. And the truth is that Irish people in their early 20s dont drink near as much as 5 to 10 years ago, certainly not as much as when I was that age, which isnt so long ago, because a huge amount of them are into drugs (yeah I know alcohol is a drug, so is sugar, I mean the illegal kind). In fact I dont think people quite grasp how bad the drug problem is among our young, and making alcohol more expensive might just drive more of them down this road.
Landmark legislation eh?
So, the responsible drinkers of Ireland are once again being punished for the irresponsible minority?
It’s not enough that the price of the on trade has been steadily increasing over the past decade or so. Now, they want to interfere with drinking in the comfort of our own homes.
Well, I certainly know who I won’t be voting back in when the next election comes around!
This is an insult to the tax payer as their money is being used to drive up the price of commodities. This is fraud no matter what way you slice it.
Next it will be prohibition except for the dail bar
Wine and beer are expensive. I made Guinness stew today and the Guinness along with the beef was very expensive.
@Jaci Black: did you use the export Guinness that’s recommended in some recipes Jaci because that is expensive. I used it a few times then used normal can draught Guinness but the best was the €4.50 Red wine in ALDI for stew it’s amazing it’s their best seller the manager told me I remarked how nice it was.
So when will the poor misfortune politicians have to suffer the horrific burden of paying for alcoholic drinks in the dail bar and stop footing the bill to the filthy rich Irish tax payers…bless their cotton socks
Nothing worse than a crusading “Poacher turned Gamekeeper” like Shane Ross.
Smokescreen!
@Hello DAVE!: Yawn
@Only here for the comments: bot!
Dear Tourists (especially Americans), come to Ireland, have the craic, enjoy a Guinness made within a stone’s throw of the brewery…..that’ll be €11. Fly with Aer Lingus, enjoy paying €7 for a glass of wine on an intercontinental flight that you paid major airline air-fare for. Want a drink before 11? Well, you can’t. Want a glass of port after your lunch in that nice cafe, well you can’t because we restrict liquor licences. And no, you can’t drink outside. So forget having a cordial glass of rose in the park on a hot summers day. Come to Ireland, we love drinking, we pay dearly.
Why don’t they just ban alcohol altogether? They clearly seem to think its the devil.
@Philip Farrell: you forgot… and bring back a bottle of Jameson or Teelings with horrible pictures on it as a present, for which you pay double than in other countries.
So what in fact we have is more Corporate Welfare hidden behind Public Health legislation. This by a government that point blank refuses to provide its citizens with a fit for purpose, functioning Public Health Service.
The naill in the coffin for fg
Next it will be prohibition except for the rail bar
I think what needs to be looked at is relying on alcohol out of absolutely utter boredom. Ireland is literally so boring. The only fun thing to do is get locked with your mates. In Asia they have so many fun activities to do all day and night without the need to get locked.
Maybe focus on fun activities for all ages, and family’s to keep people entertained. And for the young teenagers actual community centre that are not run down but cool and have lots of things to do, and a lot of supervision.
@Jonathan James: There is loads more to do in South America than Athlone as well :)
Alcohol is a scourge on this state. Near enough to 10% of our population is addicted- some functioning, many not. That’s in excess of 250,000 people. But most commentators here seem to assume that its some sort of tax grab. Shame on you all.
@George Salter: so you think that the price of booze will change the behaviour and habits of the addicts? If you do you don’t understand the problem at all.
@George Salter: your stats are fake . Get off your horse.
@George Salter: 94.2 per cent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
@JustOneScoop: Ass. I have been closer to addiction than you *ever* want to be. If you can offer any better figure, I invite you to produce it.
http://alcoholireland.ie/facts/alcohol-related-harm-facts-and-statistics/
@brian: Does that include your figure?
@George Salter: well what do you think?
@George Salter:
Lads. George is 100% right on this. Alcohol consumption in this country is bananas as far as impact to general health and well being.
Yiz are delusional (or simply acclimatized to dangerous levels of boozing) if you believe otherwise.
Sure, we rank 4th out of 24 OECD countries (2013 stats) for alcohol consumption-Outside the medals but world class nonetheless.
I love my
@George Salter:
Cont.
I love my beer and wine but I know too many people who drink way too much. The efficacy of the legislation remains to be seen but the reality is that a degree of regulation is necessary given what we all know about human behavior.
Cue the libertarian backlash….
The FG Thinktank: “Don’t fret ‘auld chaps’ your 60 euro bottle of Cognac won’t be effected…it’s just the ‘paupers pint’ that will increase drastically with minimum unit pricing…serves them right they never stop drinking anyway!”
This legislation specifically precludes outlawing Drinks sponsorship of sporting and cultural events which has proven to have real effects in other jurisdictions, especially in relation to young people, this was at the behest of the powerful drinks lobby.
This sends mixed messages, on the one hand people are told not to drinks and supermarkets are supposed to hide alcohol products, yet football matches tv and online and billboards are screaming ads constantly bombarding their target audiences with their products 24/7,,,,?? WTF??
Sad really. Warning on alcohol? Any warning for coca cola or McDonald’s, this shit can kill
I’ve worked in bars for nearly 30 years. Binge drinking is a serious problem among some.
30 years ago, someone would get into a car after 5 pints and nobody saw any problem. We now know different.
Large amounts of lead and other toxins were making there way into the food & drinks supply and with the introduction of lead free petrol is decreased dramatically.
1980, carcinogenic compounds were discovered in beers and spirits. Great work has been done to reduce these. Whether or not they went on to cause cancer, I don’t know but the problem is there.
If growers, maltsters, brewers, Distillers can help reduce the risk because of these labels than its a positive.
On the other hand binge drinking needs a more serious approach. Some things I’ve seen in recent years is shocking.
This will not stop people from travelling North to pick up cheap booze without the requisite labelling etc.
have your say