Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, Acting Chairman. I will not revisit the points I made earlier, but I have a concern that the thrust of this critical measure will impact on a particular cohort of people more than it will on others. The person who currently pays €18 or €20 for a bottle of wine, for example, will not be impacted in any serious way. It will be those who buy cheaper alcohol options who will feel the effect. There is a picture many people have in their minds that the drinkers this measure seeks to target are, in the main, young people drinking six-packs behind the bike shed. The reality is different. In the case, for instance, of people who have worked all their life but have no employment today, the six-pack while watching football on the television is a weekend treat. They are not the people who are creating anti-social disturbances. We need to look at the reality in a more holistic and rounded way. People who are in some way disconnected from the reality of life for many within what are broadly described as deprived or disadvantaged communities are not seeing the full picture. There will be a more serious impact from these proposals on those who are least well off in our communities as against those who can better afford the more expensive choices when they visit the off-licence.

I am not convinced this measure will have the intended impact. What it comes down to is its effectiveness, and I am not convinced in this regard. In raising these concerns, I do not intend to be obstructive to the passage of the legislation. It is important, however, to question what is proposed and tease out the measure to ensure it will be effective. As well as the effectiveness or otherwise of the legislation, my other concern, as I have indicated, is that it should ensure equality across the board rather than targeting one sector of the community. I would be very enthusiastic about the proposals in regard to below-cost selling. In the case of minimum pricing, however, the question arises as to who will gain from it. The excise duty that applies to alcohol products is calculated on the unit measure, not on the actual price. When we introduce minimum pricing regulations, we are increasing the price but the excise duty remains the same. Where is the take from that for the Exchequer? I would have been happier, if we are to have minimum pricing or an increase in cost, to see it being done by way of an increase in excise duties. That would bring more moneys under central government control which could then be ring-fenced and employed in addressing the terrible outworkings of alcohol abuse, not only on individuals but, even more disturbingly, on those around them, including partners and children, who may suffer even more from the terrible effects of alcohol abuse. I would have liked to see any revenues accruing from an increase in the cost of alcohol being put to effective and better use. As it stands, it is the manufacturers, Diageo and other players, who will be raking in the money. I realise the intention is that they will actually have less money coming in, but I am not convinced it will play out that way.

Will Professor Murray indicate the source of the various statistics he cited? The indication that 1,500 hospital beds per night are occupied by people directly as a result of alcohol use is one figure that stands out for me as party health spokesperson. Professor Murray indicated that the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver has doubled in the past 20 years, which is reflective of the doubling of alcohol consumption in Ireland in the past 50 years. It is important to note that this doubling in consumption is reflective of certain changes in society. Fifty years ago, women in the main were not going out to public houses, and lounges as we know them today barely existed. There is now gender equality in terms of access to alcohol socialising in an open way, which is a welcome development. It is not something we need to be scared of and the doubling of alcohol consumption does not necessarily reflect a fall in standards. It is, to some extent, simply a reflection of the fact that 51% of the population have joined the other 49% over that period in enjoying a social drink. That is a very good thing.