Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Pearse Doherty that it is no way to treat Members of the House to call out an order without circulating it. It is the least the Ceann Comhairle could have done, in my view, to show some respect for Members.

It is very disappointing that the Government is taking this approach. This measure is no substitute for an alcohol strategy. The steering group produced a draft strategy 18 months ago which contains proposals for minimum pricing, for a social responsibility levy and a number of other measures. It is very regrettable that the Government has been sitting on its hands in this regard and that we do not have a Government strategy. Alcohol misuse is a serious public health threat to the entire country which needs to be dealt with in a serious way by recognising the problem of off-sales drinking and the lack of supervision of drinking in the home which is providing the growing market for below-cost selling. The Government is actually subsidising the sale of cheap alcohol through the VAT costs involved. It should have been tackled in a meaningful way. This measure is not a meaningful way and it is nothing to do with public health. This is simply a revenue-raising issue which is likely to exacerbate the existing problems with alcohol and it is very disappointing.

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