Dáil Question on minimum pricing for alcohol

To ask the Minister for Health if proposals to include minimum pricing of alcohol will be legislated for; if so, when he expects to publish legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Reply from Minister in the Department of Health, Alex White T.D.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that real and tangible proposals are currently being finalised on foot of the recommendations in the National Substance Misuse Strategy report. These proposals cover all of the areas mentioned in the report, including legislation on minimum unit pricing which is about setting a statutory floor price per gram of alcohol.

The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy has considered these proposals and I intend to bring forward specific proposals for consideration by Government as soon as possible.

In the meantime work on developing a framework for the necessary Department of Health legislation, which I anticipate will be available later this year or early next year, is continuing.   For example, in conjunction with Northern Ireland, a health impact assessment is being commissioned as part of the process of developing a legislative basis for minimum unit pricing.   The health impact assessment will study the impact of different minimum prices on a range of areas such as health, crime and likely economic impact.