Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We all agree that the below cost sale of alcohol must be addressed. The challenge we face is how to go about addressing it. I ask the Minister of State, particularly in the context of his portfolio in the Department of Health, to consider a proposal made by the vintners before Christmas in respect of the introduction of a lid tax. That proposal has a great deal of merit. The Department of Finance has indicated that because of EU law, it is not possible to proceed with a lid tax, but I do not believe that is the case. Such a tax could allow us to circumvent the challenges we face in the below cost sale of alcohol. It could also allow us to circumvent some of the challenges relating to minimum pricing, while bringing in additional revenue for the Exchequer. There is huge merit in the proposal to which I refer, about which I spoke on the night the budget was introduced. I am disappointed that provision has not been made in this regard. I would like a detailed justification to be provided as to why the proposal was not progressed. It may not be possible for such a justification to be provided now, but I would like the officials from the Department to indicate at some point exactly where the challenges and difficulties relating to the proposal lie.

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