Imelda Henry (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. She is committed to dealing with this issue. She attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health and Children several weeks ago on this issue and I was impressed by her presentation.

Six years ago, the breakdown of alcohol consumption in Ireland comprised 70% in pubs on-trade 30% off-trade in supermarkets and off-licences while today the breakdown is 45% on-trade and 55% off-trade. There are many reasons for this, including lifestyle changes, legislation directed particularly at the on-trade rather than the off-trade and general economic circumstances. The single biggest factor has been the abolition of the groceries order, which has allowed supermarkets in particular to sell alcohol at the prices they do.

The reason we have irresponsible drinking is price and availability. Children as young as 11 are drinking. I feel strongly about having an effective education programme in all our national schools to make children aware of the dangers of alcohol. The North West Alcohol Forum Limited, a non-governmental organisation, does excellent work in this regard. It was established to work in partnership with all sectors, including health, justice, community and education, to reduce hazardous drinking and its consequences among individuals, families and communities. Steetwise for Life is the forum's national school programme. Representatives go into sixth class and they also run another programme for first years in secondary school. This has been rolled out only in County Donegal and the forum is trying to have the programmes rolled out in counties Sligo and Leitrim. The Government needs to consider a national programme for primary schools to educate children about the dangers of alcohol, and I hope we will do this.

Minimum pricing needs to be introduced and the Government also needs to implement section 9 of the 2008 Act which states that alcohol should sold in a separate area with a separate entrance that is manned by a mature person. The ministerial order for this was never signed. It is important we try to ban price-based advertising and prohibit volume related promotions. We should also consider the concept of a green tax on non-returnable bottles and cans. While this would not guarantee a floor price, it would make it more difficult for the supermarkets to reduce their prices to the crazy levels we are witnessing. The concept of the green tax would work on non-returnable bottles and cans and would operate similar to the plastic bag levy. Research has highlighted that almost €120 million could be generated annually by applying a 10 cent levy to cans and a 20 cent levy to bottles. This is worthy of consideration in the context of the current debate that centres around the low price of alcohol in supermarkets.

As Senator Gilroy stated, the Scottish Parliament recently published a Bill to introduce minimum pricing and similar legislation is also being considered in Northern Ireland. As a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, I had talks with several of my Scottish colleagues about their plans in this regard. I will keep in touch with them regarding their progress with that Bill.

Minimum pricing will not penalise moderate drinkers, as it would have a marginal effect on them, but it would have a significant impact on consumers, especially young people, who have a problem with alcohol consumption. The drinking habits of young people are price sensitive and alcohol is being sold at below cost in supermarkets.

I am involved in the pub trade and I was nominated to the House by the Vintners Federation of Ireland. I was surprised last week that one of my colleagues declared in the House last week that he thought that it was inappropriate to have a representative in this House nominated by vintners. The same Senator during his recent presidential campaign went to great lengths to emphasise how he has spent his political career representing the marginalised and his campaign rhetoric was big on the need for inclusion and for everyone having his or her voice heard. He seems to have changed his mind on that. I am a democrat and I believe in everyone having his or her voice heard regardless of whether he or she agrees with what I have to say. The majority of publicans are responsible and we support minimum pricing.

While people may say we have a vested interest, I remind Senator Crown there is a social aspect to this debate. Perhaps people living in the greater Dublin area might not be aware of this as much as those of us living in rural Ireland but many older people in rural communities were used to going to their pub for one or two pints at most. That was their routine. They got to meet people in their communities and everyone knew that they were okay. If there were not seen for a day or two, somebody would check on them.

Senator Gilroy referred to café bars but we might have missed the boat in this regard because the good times are gone. We cannot get people into pubs and, therefore, we are unlikely to get them into café bars. This is a good motion. Alcohol abuse is a major issue, particularly among young people, and I have faith in the Minister of State to move on this issue.