Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this very important legislation. I want to say at the outset that I am very disappointed at the length of time it took for this Bill to get to the floor of the Dáil for debate.

I am very aware of the intense lobbying of politicians on all sides in respect of this Bill, particularly by the drinks industry. The point of the Bill is to make it clear that alcohol is not like any other product. It is a Bill which has at its heart the best interests of our citizens.

Everybody in this Chamber is aware that we are in the middle of a health crisis. We only have to look at the increased numbers in accident and emergency departments every weekend to see the strain alcohol abuse is placing on our front-line services. Right now across the State, there are 1,500 people in hospital beds due to alcohol related health issues, and that is even before we get into the other areas like justice and social protection on which millions of euro have to be spent every year to deal with alcohol-related issues. This is an issue we need to get to grips with.

Other Deputies and Senators have spoken at length on the various issues relating to this Bill. I want to focus on young people. As I said earlier, alcohol is just not like any other product yet advertisements, which children see, constantly glamorise its use. As we know, young people will often behave in a learned way. In other words, they pick up traits and habits they see being used by people in authority, celebrities or their own parents.

The reality is that alcohol consumption has become totally interwoven into the fabric of our society. That is simply not a healthy development. Sports teams are sponsored by spirits and beer companies. Every time a foreign Head of State visits the country, a pint of stout is shoved into his or her hand in order that a photograph to be splashed across newspapers throughout Ireland and abroad. That is ridiculous.

We all remember when, a few years ago, a grocery chain in Dublin actually advertised, by means of leaflets and posters, a children’s allowance day deal that included, alongside groceries, an advertisement for slabs of beer at special reduced prices.

It was absolutely shameless and displayed an incredible lack of awareness and cop-on.

We need to ensure the dangers associated with alcohol abuse are taught to children from a young age. I used to smoke but have given it up. I remember how the issue used to come up with my children when they came from school asking "Mammy, why are you smoking? It's bad for you". That hits home with parents and shows how important educating young people is. Its effect is not just on those young people themselves; there is a ripple effect on the people around them. There should be more focus on educating younger people in school on the dangers associated with alcohol misuse.

The problems associated with alcohol misuse are broader than just health. In 2014, the Child Law Reporting Project found that alcohol misuse was a factor in almost one in eight cases in which a child was placed into care. It is clear that there is a close link between excessive parental drinking and child neglect and abuse. The ISPCC found that the life of one in every 11 children is being negatively affected by parental drinking. Some of the stories from children who took part in surveys on this issue are heartbreaking. The burden of problem drinking is not solely on the person who drinks. It is shared with family and friends and it is placed on our public services.

I also want to address an issue which has been brought up time and again, that is how minimum pricing will affect retailers. Below-cost selling by large supermarket chains to drive footfall and sales of more expensive grocery products is a long-running tactic. It is morally wrong. Not only that, it also squeezes responsible retailers such as the local off-licence which simply cannot compete with these supermarkets. I support this Bill fully. It is about taking a responsible approach to the scourge of alcohol misuse in the State. It is about protecting our young people, discouraging the glamorisation of alcohol and increasing public awareness of the health and social problems associated with alcohol misuse.

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