Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was not going to speak either because my colleague, Deputy O'Reilly, has outlined all the arguments in favour of the Bill, as the two previous speakers have eloquently done also. I wish to comment on some of the claims which were made. It is not factually true to suggest there would be two bottles on a shelf, one with a label warning of the associated risks of alcohol and cancer, and another next to it with no label. We need to deal with facts here, and that will not be the case. It does not matter where that bottle came from, be it Scotland, America or anywhere. It will have a label. Every bottle sold on a shelf will have the same label, regardless of whether it was brewed in Dingle or in Edinburgh. That is a fact.

What is also a fact is the proven casual link between alcohol and certain types of cancer, which is based on research done by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. That is a fact and one cannot dispute it. I heard another Deputy tonight say that putting these labels on bottles will kill rural Ireland. That is an opinion and not a fact. It is a fact, however, that there were 500 cancer-related deaths last year due to alcohol. That is a fact and not an opinion.

Deputy Chambers put it well when he said that this is not about telling people they should not drink or they cannot drink. It is about giving them information in order that they can make informed decisions. I do not drink or touch alcohol, but if I did I would like to have the information before I decided whether I wanted a drink. Similarly, with cigarettes, which I smoke, there are warnings on the packets that I buy that inform me of the dangers. I know what the dangers are and I make a choice based on the information given to me, and I am grateful for that because it is my decision and it is based on facts.

I do not know what the big argument is against this proposal. One Deputy asked why we are the first in the world to do this. Why not? Why should we not be the first? We are talking about tourists coming here who will get the impression that if they drink Irish whiskey they might get cancer but if they drink Scottish whisky they will not get cancer. It is ridiculous. When this legislation passes, if this amendment stays as it is in order that the cancer label remains within the primary legislation, it would be a good day, not only for this House and this country but for everyone because we will inform not only our own citizens but also the thousands of tourists who will visit. We are educating people in this country but also further afield, which is something we should be proud of. Rather than asking why we will be the first, I ask why not? I am proud that we will be the first. Many decisions made in this Chamber through the years have not benefitted citizens and have had untold effects on their physical and mental health, but this is one which will not do that. Let us get on with it and pass the Bill. People can have their opinions and they will continue to have their opinions after this legislation is passed, but people will also have facts and they will be informed. Let us cut the nonsense and get on with it.

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