Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In regard to the flagging that we are to announce a new alcohol policy today, in this case I ask that we look before we leap. Overall drink consumption in Ireland is falling and is not high by international standards. In international rankings The Economist places Australia first and Ireland 23rd; places such as Canada and the United Kingdom rank higher than Ireland. A head of steam has built up but I do not see evidence-based information. Previous generations were much more addicted to alcohol than the generation following us. Pub sales are down by about one-third since 2007 which correlates with a substantial reduction in driving offences which were a serious consequence of drink. I think there is a responsible generation following us in that area. Furthermore, minimum pricing enriches the sellers of drink. Why on earth would we set out to do that? If there is money to be made it should go straight into the Exchequer in taxation but a minimum price where the suppliers of the drink are rewarded is totally counterproductive. It impacts most on people with low incomes, distorts competition and may run into difficulties in Europe and penalises all of a population for public order offences which, even if they are not published separately for drink offences, amount to that 1% of the population. Is it time we moved to a more sensible relationship with drink and food as the Mediterranean countries do? A campaign may move the Minister in the wrong and counterproductive direction. The last one of those was in respect of taxis which the Leader mentioned yesterday when the Taoiseach was present where a completely false impression of tax avoidance, social welfare fraud and crime was painted of a perfectly law-abiding industry. That resulted in the many flaws we found in the legislation to deal with the sector. Let us look before we leap. Certainly I would not support a measure which results in a higher income for the drinks industry. If they want to sell us something for X and we introduce a law insisting that we give them XX for it, that is the wrong way to proceed.