New bill aims to bring Irish drinking down to OECD average

The Government has agreed a range of measures designed to reduce alcohol consumption but decided against a ban on sports sponsorship by drinks companies.

Restrictions on the sale of cheap alcohol and warning labels on bottles and cans are among the key elements of the plan.

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said the talking about the issue had gone on for long enough and now was the time for action to reduce consumption and tackle alcohol abuse.

He said the proposed Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 would be published in the coming months and he hoped it would be law by the end of the year.

“Most Irish adults drink too much and many drink dangerously. This has an enormous impact on our society and economy through greater illness and higher health costs, public order and violent offences, road traffic collisions, injuries and absence from work. It is also associated with many suicides and instances of sexual violence, domestic violence and child harm,” said the Minister.

He added that the agreed legislation was the most far-reaching proposed by any Irish Government.

“For the first time alcohol is being addressed as a public-health measure which makes this a legislative milestone. It deals with all of the important aspects that must be addressed including price, availability, information and marketing,” said Mr Varadkar.

Asked if the decision not to tackle the issue of sports sponsorship had been taken because of pressure from the drinks industry, the Minister said the strongest opposition had come from sporting bodies although the drinks industry had also lobbied against it.

"This matter has been debated for six years, since the establishment of the Working Group on a National Substance Misuse Strategy. A Bill has been on the cards since the Government decision in 2013. We have been talking about for too long. It is time to take action," he said.

The Minister said the issue of sports sponsorship would be reviewed in three years.

Among the key elements of the Bill are: provisions to prevent the sale of very cheap alcohol, health labelling and warnings on bottles and cans including calorie counts; new enforcement powers for Environmental Health Officers to police and enforce the separation of alcohol within stores, when Section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 is commenced by the Department of Justice; Environmental Health Officers will also be empowered to police minimum unit pricing, health labelling, marketing and advertising and other measures of the Bill.

A number of measures relating to marketing, advertising and sponsorship will be subject to a three-year review to gauge their effectiveness. These include: restrictions on the advertising and marketing of alcohol from 2016 including a broadcast watershed on television and radio, with further restrictions due on cinema and outdoor advertising; it will be illegal to market or advertise alcohol in a manner that is appealing to children; and there will be legal regulation of sports sponsorship for the first time.

An inter-Departmental committee chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach found that sponsorship was inextricably linked with marketing and advertising generally and best dealt with in a comprehensive way as proposed in the measures agreed today.

“The Heads of the Bill contain provisions that recognise that alcohol is a drug, not just an ordinary foodstuff. It contains one of the most effective measures in dealing with the misuse of alcohol: minimum unit pricing which effectively bans low-cost sales of alcoholic products,” said Mr Varadkar.

He said the measure had the potential to impact on people who consume alcohol in a harmful and hazardous way and he also pointed to calorie and health warning labelling.

“These Heads won’t satisfy everyone. Industry will complain about the impact on them. Health campaigners will be disappointed that a complete ban on alcohol sponsorship has not been introduced. But I am not prepared to postpone this legislation and continue to have endless discussions and delays.

“Instead, I am moving ahead with all key elements of the package including the regulation of marketing, advertising and sponsorship. This will encompass major sporting events for the first time by turning the code of conduct in to an enforceable regulation. These regulations will ensure that children’s and young people’s exposure to alcohol marketing is considerably diminished,” he said.