Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support this landmark Bill. It is a game changer in many respects. It has the same significance as the smoking ban introduced in 2004 in the teeth of strong opposition from vested interests. The time has come to confront our difficult relationship with alcohol.

As a society, we cannot ignore the problem of harmful drinking anymore. The Bill is a major attempt to improve health, well-being and mortality in this country.

There has been a delay in enacting this Bill. It passed Second Stage in the Seanad in December 2015 so there has been an extraordinary delay in getting the Second Stage debate underway in Dáil Éireann. Again, this demonstrates the power of the drinks lobby in this country. There has been extensive lobbying on this Bill. I have been lobbied by a number of parties. On 1 February 2018, I met with the chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance of Ireland, Professor Frank Murray, in Beaumont Hospital. Professor Murray is consultant gastroenterologist and hepatologist in Beaumont Hospital. He certainly presented to me the reality of the alcohol problem in Ireland in a very strong way. We do have a problem. It has been outlined by many of the speakers here. The cost to our economy of the alcohol problem is estimated to be €2.35 billion annually. It is a fact that every major family event or celebratory occasion in this country is dominated by alcohol, be it First Holy Communion, a wedding, a graduation or indeed the festival of Christmas itself. Alcohol is front and centre at these events and this attitude must change. I detect a small change in public attitudes but, obviously, more work needs to be done in that regard. It is estimated that three people die every day in Ireland as a result of alcohol. We all know the problems associated with excessive use of alcohol - absenteeism, problems in our health care system, a strain on our health services, problems relating to crime, drink driving, assaults, domestic violence, broken families, accidents and anxiety and depression, particularly among young people. Youth suicide is a particular worry.

We all know what is in this Bill. Obviously, the main part of it involves minimum unit pricing of alcohol. This is a targeted measure designed to prevent the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices. It is aimed at those who drink in a harmful and dangerous manner. I am satisfied that this is an evidence-based measure and that it is a proportionate response.

I have my own anecdotal evidence relating to young people. It is very easy for underage drinkers to get their hands on alcohol. From my observation, young girls are drinking far more spirits. There is also the practice of "prinks" where young people consume as much alcohol as possible in someone's house before going out for a night on the town. Again, these are attitudes that need to be confronted and need to change. We have a problem with binge drinking. The statistics are there, particularly relating to the 18 to 24 year old age group. It is a league we do not want to be top of and we need to do something about that.

With regard to the display and visibility issue, the issue regarding the separation of alcohol products in mixed trade retail outlets has been mentioned. A concession is proposed here. In the interests of practicality and the reality on the ground, I support the new agreements reached on this issue. I did visit a supermarket in my constituency and saw the situation for myself.

One last concern I have relates to those on low incomes. There is the possibility that this Bill could be particularly hard on those on low incomes, for example, somebody who might buy one or two bottles of wine a week in their local supermarket or off-licence as a little luxury. However, we do need to see the bigger picture. We must see what the common good is. At the end of the day, those on low incomes are the ones who will benefit most from these measures. This is a pragmatic response to the problem. We must reduce our alcohol consumption in this country. I hope this Bill has a speedy passage through the House.

See this speech in context