Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Was that the case? I hope Senator O'Sullivan managed to recover from it reasonably quickly. Anyway, the Senator made an important point. Alcohol is no ordinary commodity, as the title of the famous study put it. It should not have the same level and ease of access as other products. This general viewpoint has been shared across the board. The question is how we put that into practice while remaining consistent with maintaining reasonable access for people who are entitled to it. Apart perhaps from Senator Crown, none of us is advocating any type of prohibition in respect of alcohol. There is a tolerance for reasonable and moderate drinking to which many people have referred. However, the difficulty is the considerable abuse and misuse of alcohol to such a harmful extent and we need to start to address it.

An unanswerable case has been made and it is undeniable that action on alcohol reaps considerable gains in terms of better population health and well-being, enhanced employment and productivity, increased health and social welfare savings, greater health and economic equality, and greater social cohesion and inclusion. There is a broader social and economic imperative involved in the issue. This is the reason alcohol is now considered to be one of the world's top priority public health challenges. Certainly, this is the case in respect of this country for me as a new Minister of State, the Department of Health and the Minister for Health. We have a strong public health dimension to our work with regard to dealing with alcohol misuse because our agenda is to protect and improve the health of the people and this is an important element of it.

Several Members raised the issue of minimum pricing and Senator Cummins asked about my view in this regard. As colleagues are aware we have not yet brought forward the package of measures but I intend to do so soon. Minimum unit pricing features prominently in the report of the strategy group. As I have noted, there is evidence which demonstrates the likely positive impacts of introducing minimum unit pricing. This debate is raging in many countries. Litigation is in play in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament has introduced legislation to provide for minimum unit pricing and it has been challenged by the drinks industry. The case is currently being heard before the Court of Session in Edinburgh and it is likely to end up in the European Court of Justice. There is considerable international interest in this case among the drinks companies and across the board. We will watch the case closely but it is not a case of holding back and watching what others are doing, although we must learn the lessons of what has been achieved elsewhere. We need to make policy decisions ourselves. I assure colleagues that there is a compelling case for minimum unit pricing and this is the approach I will be taking. I am keen to consider all the proposals put forward in the strategy group report and to bring them forward as a package rather than singling out one specific measure for attention today.

I wish to emphasise one point relating to something Senator Norris said. I started in this job four or five weeks ago but I see my role as picking up the baton on the issue of alcohol. There is no question of my going back to the drawing board or unwinding or unpicking the work that has already been achieved. The work is at an advanced stage and I see my role as picking up where my predecessor, Deputy Shortall, left off. I want it to be clearly understood that there is no question of us starting again or rolling back on any of the work or achievements that have been secured.

Senator O'Sullivan raised the issue of whether there are other perspectives in government. That is no secret and it would be strange if there were not other perspectives on this issue across government. That is to be expected. However, my job is to bring forward these proposals and to ensure they are considered by the Cabinet and that is what I intend to do. I fully intend to continue to be guided by the report of the strategy group. It is the set of proposals and recommendations which got the debate going properly in terms of bringing forward policy instruments. I will seek to stay as close as possible to the recommendations contained in the report and to maintain a position that is as close as can be achieved to the proposals set out in that remarkably helpful document. This is the undertaking I give to the House today.

Senator Mullins raised the issue of minimum pricing. I have dealt with that issue. There is a convincing case for it. He also touched on the question of availability and accessibility. The question of the accessibility of alcohol products within stores, supermarkets and other retail units is important. This features in the strategy group's report as well and it will also feature in the proposals I intend to bring forward. I note the points Senator Mullins made in respect of rehabilitation facilities and the problem of the lack of residential beds which he identified.

Senator Cummins dealt with the issue of minimum pricing. He also made the point that he believed the link between sport and advertising ought to be curtailed, although he was of the view that we should strike a balance in this regard and that he would not be in favour of a total ban. It was interesting to hear the views of all the Senators who spoke on this question and they ranged across the board. There seems to be a predominance of the viewpoint that there should be a radical move in this regard. That would appear to be the majority view as I understand it although some have argued, as Senator Cummins did, for something somewhat less than an outright ban.

Senator Norris referred to the proliferation of outlets where alcohol is available and I have great sympathy for the point of view he expressed. The extraordinary proliferation of outlets and venues where alcohol can be purchased is a cause for concern. However, where licences have been extended over a period of years, it would be enormously difficult to reverse that development, although not impossible to do so. As licences, to a great extent, are assets, there are difficulties involved when one contemplates revoking them. Nonetheless, I accept the Senator's point and I have discussed the question of the enormous number of outlets with officials in my Department. It is hard to see how it can be addressed but I am interested in hearing the views of Senators and others on the matter.

Senator Conway spoke about minimum pricing and advertising, and argued that the practice of serving alcohol to people who are already intoxicated is still going on and is totally unacceptable. It is actually an offence for a publican to serve a person who is clearly intoxicated. If I am not mistaken, it is an offence for any individual citizen, publican or not, to buy a drink for someone who is intoxicated. That is my understanding of the law and I am certain it is an offence for a publican to serve an intoxicated customer. People should be very conscious of that fact.

Senator Conway argued that we need to face down the lobby groups. As a Government, we must listen to all interests and be aware of the different viewpoints and perspectives of various groups. However, at the end of the day, Ministers have a responsibility to make decisions in the best interests of citizens and in this case, in the interests of the health and well being of citizens. In that context, there is an overwhelming case for the introduction of the kinds of measures set out in the strategy group's report. The proposals that are ultimately brought forward may not be absolutely on all fours with everything in the report but I will seek to remain as true and faithful as I can to what is recommended in that report.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for arranging this debate and assure the House that I will take cognisance of all that has been said during the debate.