Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not have to tell the Minister of State about the huge impact and cost associated with the misuse of alcohol and its promotion and mis-selling in mixed units. Last July, the Minister of State's colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, told me he would not go ahead with the voluntary code of practice and that he would introduce a mandatory system for multiples and other outlets. Why does the Minister of State not just implement section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008, which would entail strict mandatory guidelines?

I met representatives of the National Off-Licence Association some months ago. They made very responsible and good proposals on a new national responsible trading certificate for retailers and they made proposals to end price and quantity promotion of alcohol. Considerable quantities of alcohol are being promoted as loss leaders in multiples. The representatives were prepared to discuss the identification of each unit of alcohol, which practice, as the Minister of State knows, Ministers of State such as Deputies Joe Costello and Róisín Shortall have advocated. Is it not time to utilise existing legislation, as I have mentioned in my question? Should we not move towards a much more responsible process for the sale of alcohol? Small operators, the National Off-Licence Association and others would be happy to implement this if we gave the lead.

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