Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This relates only to size. Amendment No. 5 removes the requirement for evidence-based and health-based warnings to take up at least one third of the size of printed material on alcohol bottles. This was something that the Seanad debated and decided it would like the label to be like this. This requirement was an amendment to the Bill that was accepted on Report Stage in this House and I acknowledge that fact.

Following the inclusion of this requirement in the Bill, it was notified to and assessed by the European Commission which advised that this requirement was not proportionate. The European Commission advised that the objective of the protection of health through providing health warnings on alcohol products could be met by a lesser restriction such as requiring that the health warnings be of a smaller yet visible size. Not wanting to delay the passage of this Bill following the advice of the European Commission, I believe it was prudent to remove that requirement, and that is what this amendment is doing.