Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome any restrictions that would help. We have a problem with excess drinking in this country with problems such as underage drinking. However, I worry about this legislation. I am coming with a different perspective to that of previous speakers. I think it is too excessive. I am talking about measures to do with labelling. No other country in the world has mandatory cancer labels on alcohol products. I am talking specifically about cancer. The word "cancer" is a very serious one. It is a very serious word to put on a bottle. I am a survivor of cancer myself. Putting the word "cancer" on something that is a luxury that can be abused but which is not abused by 90% of the population is very serious and we need to think long and hard before we put it on a bottle. The Scottish try to sell their Scotch whiskey worldwide while we are trying to sell our whiskey. Many new companies and start ups are in the market. We promote them and then we come along with this labelling and talk about putting statements about how alcohol causes cancer on bottles. This is a step too far. We could put some warning that alcohol can be abused but I am worried about using the word "cancer" because it has repercussions across society. The introduction of Irish-only labels will result in significant additional costs of €50,000 per label according to the EY-DKM report. Somebody travelling to France or Spain on holidays might bring back a few bottles of wine. Will they have put labels on them when they bring them back to Ireland? This kind of thing must be looked at. When we sell our whiskey abroad, we will have to remove labels stating that alcohol causes cancer. This is unfair on companies all over the country and we need to be careful how we do it.

The advertising restrictions will make it difficult for new distilleries and breweries to market their products and compete against established brands. The Bill will stop product innovation in Ireland, which we are trying to grow to boost jobs and SMEs, and will reduce consumer choice and competition. Furthermore, advertisements for visitor centres that contain the name of the brand will be severely constrained. Over 2.5 million people visit breweries and distilleries annually. This is why I am worried about the competition end of it. I know we must take an overall view but I worry about that end of it as well. It has been said that the restrictions on advertising could cost Irish media €20 million in lost revenue. This is a lot of money. I know it is for their own good but will it be a big loss to sport in this country that it will not be able make up?

I am also worried about structural separation. These are very significant restrictions on small grocers in small villages. I met one woman who showed me her store, which is a little store serving a small rural population. She does not have room in her store but she must now put in these restrictions. She does not have the room to do this and will have to build on. All she is selling are bottles of wine. She is not even selling beer or whiskey. She is just selling bottles of wine. People come in and buy a bottle of wine, particularly at the weekend and on Friday when they get their wage package. They buy two or three bottles of wine to drink at home. We are going to put this kind of cost on them. I think this is prohibitive and I think we should think again about it.

With regard to overall alcohol consumption, we never allow for the 8 million people who visit Ireland. We are supposed to be one of the biggest consumers of alcohol in the world. I think we have gone from consuming fourteen point something litres per year to nine point something litres but we do not allow for the 8 million people who visit the country. They are all included in these consumption figures. When I visited Spain last year, of course, I drank a few extra glasses of wine. That is natural because people are on their holidays. This is all included. The 8 million people who come to Ireland drink more when they are here, particularly because we are known for our Guinness and our whiskies. Of course, they will taste the beverages we have here. This is part of the overall picture and I think this is not being taken into account. While I welcome any restrictions relating to the abuse of alcohol, I think this could be a step too far and could destroy our industry and what we advertise ourselves as offering, which is the nice welcome from the people of Ireland with a sup of Guinness and a drop of whiskey. Perhaps it is a step too far. I think it is a bit too restrictive.

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