Mr. Padraig Cribben:

Absolutely not, but the point is that we were made to comply. If this is the right thing to do, vested interests should not stop it.

These issues are important.

This measure has to be introduced in a reasonable timeframe. We cannot flick a switch and say it has to be in place by the beginning of May. It probably should be introduced within a six, nine or 12 month timeframe, but what is important is the commitment to do it and it is not there.

Senator Thomas Byrne spoke about the issue of labelling. We do not have a particular concern about it, other than if there is a requirement in the on-trade for labelling or notification, we do not want 40 to 50 administrative officers with 40 to 50 interpretations of what it should be. It then becomes a nightmare where one thing is needed in one county but something different in another. What we are saying is that we should sit down with the Department of Health and work out what needs to be done.

Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor raised the question of what the rate should be. Our view is that there has to be logic to it. There is a need to go back to when the problem started in 2006 with the abolition of the groceries order. The consumer price index figure for the interim period would be applied, which would give us, in round terms, a price for a 500 ml can of 4.3% lager of roughly €1.90 to €1.95, with a pro ratafigure for other products.