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It's understood that a memo will be brought to Cabinet to delay the move amid concerns arising from potential US tariffs. Alamy Stock Photo

Planned health warning labels on alcohol bottles to be deferred until 2029

The health warnings were due to be placed on bottles from May 2026.

THE ROLLOUT OF health warning labels on alcohol bottles which was due to begin next year is expected to be deferred until 2029. 

It’s understood that a memo will be brought to Cabinet to delay the move amid concerns arising from potential US tariffs. 

The labels were due to come into force from 22 May 2026 following the introduction of a law by then-Health Minister Stephen Donnelly in 2023. 

Under the new law, labels on alcohol products will state the calorie content and grams of alcohol in the product, and warn about the risk of consuming alcohol when pregnant and of the risk of liver disease and fatal cancers from alcohol consumption.

Ireland will be the first country in the world to introduce such regulations. 

A three-year lead-in time was built into the law in order to give businesses time to prepare for the change. However, following Donald Trump’s initial tariffs announcement in April, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told RTÉ Radio 1 that the introduction of the labels would be looked at.

Speaking in the Dail last month, Tánaiste Simon Harris said there was “a legitimate issue with timing when it comes to labelling”.

Harris said businesses trying to do business internationally amid the “uncertain trading environment” had raised concerns with Agriculture and Food Minister Martin Heydon.

He said he had concerns “regarding the current trade and tariffs environment we are navigating our way through”.

“We are very proud of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, but we will make a decision in the coming weeks on the timing of the labels. I personally believe a deferral will be required.”

Enterprise Minister Peter Burke last month said the deferral would provide the opportunity to work with the European Commission “on progressing a harmonised set of EU-wide regulations and reinforce our approach of seeking to reduce regulatory fragmentation in the Internal Market”.

A recent report by the Office of the United States Trade Representative cited alcohol labelling as a significant barrier to American exports.

The report noted concerns of US industry that the labelling requirements for the Irish market would be costly and disrupt exports within the EU single market. 

In a statement today, Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI) said the delay is “clearly yet another instance of the alcohol industry and their friends in government putting more pressure on the Taoiseach and Health Minister to turn their backs on public health”. 

“It is bizarre that the government should even contemplate delaying this measure which has been in planning for years,” CEO Dr Sheila Gilheany said.

“Indeed, multiple products are already for sale in Ireland with the labels in advance of them becoming compulsory by May 2026. Businesses in countries as diverse as Australia, Italy, New Zealand and Spain are now labelling their products in the entirely reasonable expectation that Ireland is implementing its stated law.”

Gilheany also said it is “entirely disingenuous” for government ministers to suggest that Ireland should wait for an EU-wide label.

“There is no such proposal on the table and there won’t be in the foreseeable future. On the other hand, Ireland’s label is already on some products,” she continued.

“This is an opportunity for Ireland to lead the way, rather than allowing the alcohol industry to hold back life-saving public health measures.”

With reporting from Christina Finn

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    Mute Benjamin Dolan
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    Feb 26th 2018, 9:36 AM

    Some security. you can imagine whats coming into the country, when they can’t even secure a prison.

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 9:39 AM

    @Benjamin Dolan: Not too many escaping though!

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    Mute Rear Admiral
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:36 AM

    @Bruce Miller: why would they want to with that statistic above

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:54 AM

    @Rear Admiral: Freedom?

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    Mute Dotty Dunleary
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    Feb 26th 2018, 11:10 AM

    @Bruce Miller: Why would a lot of those habitual offenders want to escape from prison?
    They get 3 meals a day, allowances to buy cigarettes and snacks, access to a gym for free, a warm/dry bed. Meeting up with all there old gang members to discuss better way to commit crimes.
    Not to mention all the illegal stuff, smuggled mobile phones, drugs, probably play-stations too…

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    Mute Colm Lawlor
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    Feb 26th 2018, 12:29 PM

    @Benjamin Dolan: bit hard to pull the stuff out of their arses

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    Mute Bill O'Brien
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:27 AM

    For many years those in charge of prisons in this country have turned a blind eye to drug use in prisons. It “kept a lid on things” was how one prison officer, interviewed a few years ago, put it. Its not good enough that you can enter the prison system here clean and come out a drug addict. This is clearly the fault of those in charge of these prisons, Governors, such as John Lonergan, for many years in charge of Mountjoy, have a lot to answer for but have never been made accountable.

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    Mute Sean O'Brien
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    Feb 26th 2018, 12:51 PM

    @Bill O’Brien: I work with x Governor John Lonergan he was not a nice person when a Prison Officer that was involve in a shooting incident (when he was shot at) went to him for help he [Lonergan] ignore that Prison Officer, which is now part of a “Protective Disclosure” and was raised with the “Public Accounts Committee” including the “Justice Committee”.

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    Mute paddy
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    Feb 26th 2018, 3:34 PM

    @Bill O’Brien:nonsense

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    Mute Bruce Miller
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    Feb 26th 2018, 4:30 PM

    @paddy: And why is that – do you know!?

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    Mute paddy
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    Feb 27th 2018, 5:04 PM

    @Bruce Miller: yes bruce i do know

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    Mute Nick
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    Feb 26th 2018, 10:03 AM

    Did charges for drug seizures go up by the same percentage? If not, why?

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    Mute Bruce Wardrop
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    Feb 26th 2018, 9:45 AM

    Would be interesting to see data other relevant info – e.g. the number of searches performed etc to put this figure into context. Are there more detailed / frequent searchers or is there more contraband getting in?

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Feb 26th 2018, 12:20 PM

    Should be a year automatic on to your sentence to be caught with a phone or drugs. There are no meaningful consequences for them.

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    Mute Michael Devlin
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    Feb 26th 2018, 1:43 PM

    Visits should only be behind glass but the human rights brigade wouldnt have it as they can’t seem to comprehend that prison is actually supposed to be punishment. Sentences should be dramatically increased for those caught with phones or drugs inside

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    Mute Féach News
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    Feb 26th 2018, 11:26 AM

    Sales of Vaseline Soar in Phibsborough

    https://twitter.com/thejournal_ie/status/968054233043034112

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    Mute Anthony Gallagher
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    Feb 26th 2018, 12:02 PM

    Now we can see why judges dont want to be sending petty criminals to prisons .anything but rehabilitation

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    Mute blue exile
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    Feb 26th 2018, 1:29 PM

    I predict a riot

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