The Health Minister is under pressure to force retailers to build separate units if they want to sell alcohol.
Alcohol Action Ireland says alcohol should be stored and sold separately from other items in shops and supermarkets while the Irish Vintners Association wants retailers to build separate off-licence units within their stores.
Leo Varadkar yesterday unveiled new legislation on alcohol including minimum pricing and mandatory health warnings on labels.
The Bill calls for health warnings on labels, as well as calorie information, and it also requires supermarkets and shops to sell alcohol in separate areas. It will also provide for new enforcement powers for Environmental Health Officers to police and enforce the separation of alcohol within stores.
Cabinet signed off on a set of proposals that aim to reduce Ireland’s alcohol consumption to the OECD average by 2020. Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said the proposed Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 is part of a range of measures to tackle the nation’s health problems.
“Most Irish adults drink too much and many drink dangerously,” Mr Varadkar said.
“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,” he added.
Dr. Chris Luke, Consultant in Emergency Medicine in University College Cork and The Mercy Hospital, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning and he said he agreed with the way the legislation was going, especially considering obesity concerns:
