Results 15,741-15,760 of 46,036 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: On amendment No. 14, I agree fully with what it is trying to do. I do not think anyone here could disagree with it. It is clearly trying to ensure that the Minister of the day has regard to data from health services relating to alcohol-related presentations at health facilities. That makes sense. I have examined the matter in a supportive manner but I believe section 10(5), as Senator...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is €1.58.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Thank you.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I respectfully disagree with the policy alteration that Senator McDowell and Senator Craughwell are putting forward, albeit for genuine reasons. The idea, as Senator Reilly very eloquently said, is that there is a direct link between the price and the gram of alcohol in the product. I would be fearful of decoupling that very important link in terms of minimum unit pricing. It might be...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: ----- I would be happy to try to convince the Senator or discuss it further between now and Report Stage. It is a very fundamental link between the amount of alcohol in the product in terms of grams and the pricing of it. Looking at the practical examples, it obviously hits the products that some of our shops and many of our multiples are selling well below what I think any of us would...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I am entirely in support of what the amendment is trying to do.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: However, on advice and reflection, I genuinely believe that section 10(5) enables me already to have that information. In a practical sense in my Department, that information is available through the HIPE system directly from our health services already. I am happy to share what is available with Senators between now and Report Stage. I fully agree with what the amendment is trying to...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Nash for tabling these important amendments, along with Senators Black, Devine and others who tabled similar amendments trying to achieve the same things. The Senators are highlighting the link between alcohol and cancer. There is, of course, a proven causal link between alcohol and several types of cancer, with the risk of cancer increasing steadily in line with the...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senators for their important contributions. In particular, I thank Senator McDowell for highlighting an issue on which I will seek further legal clarity. I wish to assure him about what we are trying to provide for in section 11(1) of the Bill. It is intended that it will be an offence to import a product for sale without the labelling information. Where a product is imported,...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Is the Senator dealing with advertising?

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I was just not sure.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Government amendment No. 22:In page 16, to delete line 15 and substitute the following:"(b) a fixture or fitting on or attached to a premises the subject of an on-licence,". I propose to take Government amendments Nos. 22, 25, 30 to 35, inclusive, with Opposition amendment No. 23 as they all relate to the content of advertisements. A number of these amendments are quite technical in nature....

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Swanick for his understanding on this and I hope we have captured what he and others wish to be reassured on. I take very much the point made by Senator Devine. As she alluded to, it probably is a planning matter for county development plans or local area plans in terms of what people want to have developed in their communities. I very much take the point she made. Senator...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: That is true. We have taken a different approach if there is manufacturing.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: I find myself closer to Senator Norris's view on this than others. I do not want too much collegiality and consensus breaking out here. I do not see the difficulty. I do not buy into the idea that the tourist experience would be destroyed by a premises that is advertising having to put in some factual warnings about alcohol. Quite a good bit of domestic tourism goes on. People might want...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Senator Norris has never been known as a sheep and it is a question of whether we want to lead or follow. I have enough challenges being Minister for Health in Ireland without being Minister for Health for the entire European Union or beyond, heaven forbid. This is a question of leadership. This country showed great leadership on tobacco. I have already credited Deputy Micheál...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: That is correct. The Senator is definitely safe.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: Perhaps public representatives in other countries will hear from their citizens just as we heard from our citizens about the need to act in respect of alcohol. I take Senator McDowell's point but there is a three-year lead in for this.

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Simon Harris: It is not kicking the can down the road at all.