Sharp exchanges in Seanad on Public Health (Alcohol) Bill

Minister for Health Simon Harris briefly attended a debate on controversial alcohol legislation to support his Minister of State Marcella Corcoran Kenny who has been under pressure from Fine Gael Senators.

The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill is before the Seanad where committee stage amendments are being discussed on the legislation which will introduce a minimum unit price and impose obligatory labelling on alcohol detailing calories, ingredients and health warnings.

The Bill also restricts advertising of alcohol and imposes segregation of alcohol from other products in supermarkets.

Senators have been under pressure from the alcohol industry and particularly from small businesses over segregation and Fine Gael members in turn put pressure on Ms Corcoran Kennedy who has special responsibility for health promotion.

Opening debate on the committee amendments Ms Corcoran Kennedy said that three people died each day in 2013 as a consequence of drinking alcohol. One death a day was due to poisoning or trauma and two deaths were due to chronic conditions.

Alcohol is a contributor to 50 per cent of all suicides. In 2014 one in three self-harm presentations were alcohol related and almost 170,000 people suffered an alcohol-related assault in 2013.

The rate of alcohol liver disease had trebled and the highest rate was in the 15-34 year age group.

She said €1 out of every €10 of public health spending in 2010 dealt with alcohol related discharges and this excluded emergency care and alcohol treatment services.

She said €1.5 billion is the cost of alcohol related discharges, or €1 in every €10 and this excluded emergency care and alcohol treatment services.

In November 2013 more than 5,000 people lost their jobs because of alcohol use.

“Minimum unit pricing is a measure which is specifically targeting heavy drinkers and young people,” she said.

Former minister for health James Reilly staunchly supported the legislation and warned that “we are seeing cirrhosis in men in their mid-20s, something we have never seen before”.

He said it takes up 1,500 hospital beds out of 11,000 in the health system.

And he said they had to take small retailers into consideration as well. “Twenty years ago the small store did not sell alcohol at all and now it’s the only thing helping them to survive? I don’t buy that argument.”

‘Responsible drinkers’

Independent Senator David Norris said alcohol cost the health services €3.75 billion a year. He also claimed that all the big alcohol producers were multinationals and not Irish-owned companies and but Fine Gael Senator Paudie Coffey rejected this.

Mr Coffey said the most important element in dealing with the alcohol problem was the introduction of minimum unit pricing. He said they needed to be fair to “responsible drinkers” and target the large retailers.

Party colleague Michelle Mulherin asked why minimum pricing could not be introduced immediately.

She said Senators get lobbied on every issue but “we are being excessively lobbied”. Ms Mulherin asked why minimum unit pricing could not be introduced immediately.

She said the only people “who will lose out” were the large supermarket chains, who sell below cost to “get people into the store” but they “then claim a Vat credit” for doing this.

Fine Gael Senator Gabrielle McFadden said she welcomed the Bill but had problem with the measures on labelling and segregation of alcohol produce.

Fine Gael Senator Colm Burke said research had shown that low-risk drinkers consumed an average of 4½ drinks a week and spent €508 a year on alcohol. Those at increased risk drank 21.9 standard drinks a week spending €2,218 a year. The highest-risk drinkers consumed an average of 62½ units a week and spend €5,120 a year on alcohol.

Senator Paddy Burke said 95 per cent of the Bill was welcome, but he had concerns about segregation. He said there should be advertising by sports stars who do not drink.